Evolution of World Politics

Politics before the nation-state:

• Stateless societies ("tribes") - bands, chiefdoms
• Kingdoms, Empires
• Power and influence was restricted to a small, privileged group, and legitimated by tradition and religion.

Relations with outsiders:

• War, pillage, feuds and alliances
• Exchange of gifts, tributary relations
• Trade existed, but was limited in scope.

European Empires of the Middle Ages:

• Were multi-ethnic, e.g. 'Holy Roman Empire' 962-1648 (encompassed modern Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, parts of France and Italy)
• Monarch's right to rule considered to come from God, not from the people
• Monarch's power (in theory) subordinate to power of the Pope Various Kings contested this e.g. Henry VIII of England.

The "Westphalian system" operated on balance of power:

'Multipolar system': Britain, France, Prussia/ Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia
Rival coalitions of great powers deterred each other
- This prevented large-scale wars
- This only broke down twice, but with catastrophic consequences
* French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars
* World War I.

European Colonialism :

• Westphalian system did not deter wars of conquest of weak states "outside" the system
• European states created great colonial empires
• When non-Europeans revolted against colonialism, they appealed to the principle of "national self-determination"
• Idea of "nation-state" spread to Americas, Asia and Africa.

Collapse of multi-ethnic European empires (1648-1918):

• Swept away by rising tide of nationalism

• Authority of Catholic Church challenged
  - Renaissance (scientific inquiry)
  - Rise of Protestantism (rejected hierarchy of Catholic Church and Vatican).

• Treaty of Westphalia (1648): Recognition of principle of state sovereignty - Birth of the modern state system

• Right of each Prince to determine religion of own state

• Recognition of exclusive sovereignty over own lands and people.

Key features of the nation-state

• Sovereignty, acknowledges no higher authority
• Acts in the name of "the nation" (the people, etc)
• May demand that the people make sacrifices in the name of "their" state.

Britain emerged as the dominant world power after the Napoleonic Wars:

• Period of relative peace within Europe following Congress of Vienna (1815)
• British Empire came to control most key naval trade routes and enjoyed unchallenged sea power
• Underpinned by industry, empire and naval supremacy.

End of multipolar 'balance of power' system in Europe:

• Two great alliances of European powers clash
• France/ Britain/ Russia/ Italy v Germany/ Austro-Hungary/ Ottoman empire. World War I ends in social collapse, mutiny, revolution:

The Russian Revolution and the rise of Communism
* Unstable economic recovery followed by the Great Depression (1929)
* The rise of Fascism.
* Intensifying international rivalries:

Imperial Protectionism, economic nationalism
* Ideological conflict – communism vs fascism vs liberal democracy
* Rise of Non-European powers (US, Japan)
* Failure of League of Nations, and 'appeasement' at Munich Conference (1938).

Origins:

• US and USSR the dominant powers after World War II
• End of anti-Nazi "Grand Alliance"
• Bipolar system emerges
• Failure of cooperation in UN
• Division of Europe into spheres of influence
• Tensions over nuclear weapons
• Collapse of colonial empires, independence of former colonies

The Cold War declared (1947):

• Truman's policy of "containment"
  - Global opposition to Soviet expansion and/or influence
  - US sponsored regional alliances such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO, 1949) and ANZUS (1952)

• Zdhanov's "two camps" speech

• US emerges from Cold War as 'hegemonic power'
• Principally in military terms
• US economy stronger than Europe or Japan in 1990s.

Constraints on U.S. Power:

• Military power is better at deterring than compelling
• Military power is best suited for dealing with other militaries
• Not as well suited to dealing with non-state actors, insurgents
• New economic competitors in 21st century
• Economic crisis 2008 - present.

After the "unipolar moment"?

• Rise of China, India, decline in US economic power
• 'Limited unipolarity'? – noting limits on US power
• Reemergence of multipolar system?
• 'Modified' multipolar system (with EU, UN as key actors?).

Impact of 9/11 and "Global War on Terror":

• New security threats (including terrorist acts against civilians)
• Traditional national security approaches less effective in 'asymmetrical' context.

encompassed modern Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, parts of France and Italy

"In the 16th century, the followers of Martin Luther established the evangelical (Lutheran) churches of Germany and Scandinavia. Reformed churches in Hungary, Scotland, Switzerland and France were established by John Calvin and other reformers such as Huldrych Zwingli. In addition, John Knox established a Calvinist communion in the Church of Scotland and also the Reformed Church in Hungary[citation needed]. The Church of England became independent of papal authority, and was influenced by some Reformation principles. There were also reformation movements throughout continental Europe known as the Radical Reformation which gave rise to the Anabaptist, Moravian, and other pietistic movements." Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism