World Politics
In an increasingly globalized world the study of international politics is extremely important to understanding the relationship and interactions between different countries and nations. International politics focuses on the communication and affairs that occur between the governments and non-governmental organizations of different countries. The study of international politics was built on two primary theories, the theory of realism and the theory of liberalism. The theory of realism puts importance primarily on state power and state security. States should seek to prosper and to maximize their chances of survival. Realists accept that war is often required in order to secure a state’s power and war is always entered to preserve a countries self interest. Any interaction that occurs between states is carried out so that they each of the state’s can maintain their security. In international politics the theory of liberalism argues that states should interact with other states on levels other then politically, such as economically and culturally. In international politics liberalism promotes interaction and cooperation between states. It often seeks to improve things abroad and is extremely concerned with issues such as human rights.
International politics incorporates how states and governments interact with each other, not only on a social and political level, but also on an economic level. The increase in globalization over the last few decades has greatly escalated the need for a world politics system that cooperates and works together, as one countries economy often depends on the economy of another country. Wars can be fought or avoided depending exclusively on the interconnection of economies of the opposing countries. World politics can be greatly affected by dependence on a resource or material. Such has been the case recently with oil. Maintaining access to oil continues to affect the political decisions of governments around the world. Many people believe that the apprehension about access to oil was an ulterior motive that led to the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the United States.
The study of world politics is highly dependent on the idea of state sovereignty. A sovereign states requires all other countries to recognize the state’s borders and the supremacy of the state. World politics solicits all counties to cooperate in order to focus on solutions to issues such as, but not limited to, terrorism, the development and spread of weapons of mass destruction, religious and ethnic conflicts and the reduction of armed conflict. Currently, one of the most common issues in world politics is the economic crisis being faced by a large potion of the world, especially throughout Europe and the United States.
The United Nations is one of the most important organizations in world politics. It was founded after World War II in order to create dialogue that would hopefully stop or lessen wars between countries. It aims to progress international security, economic development and human rights. It has 192 member states, which includes almost every sovereign country in the world. There is much debate over the success of the United Nations, however, many individuals feel that it is an essential arena for the progress of international politics.
