We’ve had several class discussions about the relation of the nation to the state. There are, in fact, many more nations than there are states (193 nation-states are members of the United Nations). The forces that rip apart established nation-states into smaller units more closely identified with specific nations is called, appropriately, nationalism. Nationalist forces are a constant feature of world politics, and the contemporary period has witnessed the emergence of nationalist movements in a number of nation-states that were once thought of as seamlessly unified: Scotland, from Great Britain; Quebec, from Canada; and the Flemish people in Belgium.
There is a very, very faint glimmer of hope in Syria. The UN’s (and Arab League’s) special envoy on Syria, Lakhdar Brahimki, was in Iran trying to broker a three day cease-fire to coincide with the religious holiday, Eid al-Adha, which begins on 25 October. A three day cease fire may not sound like much, but it could provide an opportunity for the UN to administer humanitarian aid and to establish some sort of foundation for a more sustained presence. I would not get my hopes up. Much depends on the response of the US and Turkey, as well as the Sunni Arab states who would be very suspicious of any plan hatched in Iran.
No one really knows how the process of globalization will unfold. The first wave of globalization in the 19th century ended in the disaster of World War I and it did not restart until 1945. In the last twenty years, this second wave of globalization has accelerated beyond belief, and many of our current policies simply assume that it will continue unbroken. There are, however, some analysts who believe that globalization carries within it the seeds of its own destruction. This essay is an example of such thinking.
As many of you know, I follow news about income inequality very carefully, since I believe that it is one of the major consequences of globalization. The Economist ran a great article on income inequality with some hard data that is quite revealing. The more the process continues, the more I fear the problem of underconsumption. Somehow the world has to figure out a way to stimulate demand.
Exactly fifty years ago today, the Cuban missile crisis began–an episode that brought the world close to nuclear war. Foreign Policy has a great blog post that is filled with links for those you who wish to learn more about the crisis. Much of what we thought we knew about the crisis has turned out to be either wrong or incomplete. I suspect that there is much more yet to learn.
The IMF has admitted that its historical emphasis on “austerity” programs (once called “structural adjustment programs” or SAPs) was ill-conceived. This comes as no surprise to some observers, who long argued that the IMF cures were often worse than the diseases. But the admission does cast a different light on the current ideological debate about whether cutting deficits is more important than stimulating economic growth. We will wait to see if there are any practical implications to the admission.
The US Federal Reserve Bank has been under attack from many developing countries for a number of months. These countries believe that the Bank’s policy of “quantitative easing” artificially causes their currencies to increase in value and thereby increases the price of their exports (and reduces the price of imports from the US). The Bank Chairman, Ben Bernanke, attempted to refute this charge, but it is clear that his argument was not persuasive to many.
Malala Yousafzai has been airlifted to England for medical treatment. Her attempted assassination has provoked a massive outpouring of support from Pakistan and abroad. In response, the Pakistan Taliban has threatened journalists who are covering the protests.
The quiz on 17 October will be on the blog entries from 11-15 October and the Wilberforce and Tharoor readings. I will not ask any questions about the Universal Declaration, but everyone should read the articles.
Chrystia Freeland published a fascinating essay in The New York Times which addresses the phenomenon of how income inequality affects political power. This argument is, of course, central to the proposition we have discussed in class: that concentration of wealth leads to concentration of political power which then results in underconsumption and collapse. Although she uses evidence from contemporary America, I would encourage those in the class who know other societies as well to consider whether her arguments are relevant. Since it is a long essay, I will not post any other articles for today.
The Times of India ran an editorial that is a true breakthrough in Indian-Chinese relations. The editorial called for an open discussion of the 1962 war between India and China, a war that has bedeviled relations between the two countries for 50 years. What is remarkable about the editorial is that The Times of India was a principal cheerleader for the war when it occurred. The change of heart is long overdue and let’s hope that the leaders of both countries grab this opportunity.
There have been several attacks on computers in the US, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar that appear to be quite serious (30,000 computers in the Saudi Arabian petroleum industry were wiped clean). The virus is called the Shamoon virus and US officials strongly suspect that Iran is the source of the attacks. If true, then we are witnessing an escalation of a cyberwar initiated by the US and Israel to disrupt the Iranian nuclear program. It is not at all clear how a cyberwar ends.
Turkey has made a strong appeal for international action in Syria, essentially reiterating its strong anti-Assad position and maneuvering the world to support its position. The reference to Bosnia in Erdogan’s statement forces the world to acknowledge its earlier failures when confronted with a humanitarian crisis. Not coincidentally, the main opponent to effective action in Bosnia was Russia, as is true in Syria today.
An unsteady peace has been broken in Egypt as tensions rise over the writing of the new constitution. Secularists and Islamists fought in Tharir Square following a court decision on the previous violence in the Square during Mubarak’s rule. We can expect these tensions to persist for some time; we can only hope that they don’t escalate.
There is an ongoing debate about what is necessary to protect the global environment. Some of the monetary estimates of what it might cost to protect species from extinction sound prohibitively expensive, but the sums are comparable to what is being spent on what some might regard as less urgent matters. The BBC has an article on some of these costs.
Growing income inequality across virtually every part of the planet (except for some parts of Latin America) seems to be a product of globalization. But its political effects are, over time, quite corrosive and destabilizing. Efforts to address income inequality have been stymied by an excessively ideological framework imposed by both the right and the left. The Economist has published an essay which asks us to look differently at the problem.
The situation in Syria continues to escalate. Following the exchange of fire between Turkey and Syria across the border, the Turks forced down a civilian airplane it suspected of carrying military equipment for the Assad regime. There were a number of Russians abroad the plane, and the Russian government has demanded an explanation for the act. Russian involvement in the crisis continues to intrude upon attempts to limit the violence, and the situation seems to be very slowly escalating. It is not clear what NATO will do (Turkey is a member of NATO) if the Russians press the matter.
The global economic turmoil, as well as poor climactic conditions, are contributing to deteriorating food security in the world. The two regions most seriously affected by this problem are Africa and South Asia. Both regions have experienced impressive economic growth, but that growth has not translated into better access to food for the poorer sectors of society.
The Chinese-Japanese dispute over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands has spilled over into global economics. The Chinese have indicated that they will not attend the IMF meeting in Tokyo in protest over the issue. The linkage is quite unfortunate–the inability to keep issues separate indicates that the issue has become more symbolic than real.
The Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan has released a letter justifying the shooting of Malala Yousafzai, the 14 year-old who spoke out in favor of educating girls. I have not been able to find a copy of the letter, which was written in English, by a copy was received by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Its summary of the letter can be read here. The letter denies that Yousafzai was shot because she advocated for education for girls, but rather that she advocated for secularism. If anyone finds a copy of the original letter, please let me know where it can be found.
The size of the US military is a contested issue in this year’s US presidential election, and Governor Romney has made it clear that he wishes to increase military spending dramatically. In particular, in his speech at the Virginia Military Institute last week, labeled an “important” foreign policy speech by the Romney campaign, Romney promised to increase the size of the US Navy. Navies are an important element of global power, more so than armies or air forces, so the emphasis on naval power is also an index of how a state wishes to use its power. Bloomberg News ran an interesting article on how to measure US naval power.
Angela Merkel managed her visit to Greece very well, and while there were large protests, the Greeks were able to maintain a high degree of order. But the European house is hardly in order. The IMF will be holding its semi-annual meeting in Tokyo later this week, and it has issued a very stark warning to the EU about the likelihood of a serious recession in the region.
Whether human rights are truly universal is a question that continues to stimulate controversy. The most recent example of how volatile the question is comes from Pakistan as a 14-year old girl who advocates for the right of girls to receive education was shot on her way home from school. The Pakistani Taliban has taken responsibility for the shooting because it opposes education for girls.
Governor Romeny just gave an important foreign policy address at the Virginia Military Institute. The Economist ran an essay assessing the speech (remember that the Economist is a very conservative publication) which raises some important questions about Romney’s vision.
Hugo Chavez won a convincing victory in the recent election, but there is no question that his government will be at a crossroads even though he is personally very popular. How he addresses the growing contradictions in Venezuelan economics and politics will determine the future stability of the country. Fortunately for the Venezuelan people, oil prices continue to insulate them from ill-conceived policies.
World Politics News 