Chapter 2

The Evolution of World Politics

Ancient Greece & Rome

Territorial states: • Before states/nations• Based on leader or culture• Controlled territory but loyalty to leaderGreek City-States:• Created identity to location• Concept of citizenship born

Ancient Greece & Rome

Sovereignty: • Aristotle’s Politics• Each Greek city-state had authority unto itself

Ancient Greece & Rome

Nationalism:• Citizens identified strongly with their city-state

(precursor to nationalism which is idea that holds that a nation has the right to constitute an independent or autonomous political community based on a shared history and common destiny)

Ancient Greece & Rome

Democracy:• First time people became source of authority• Idea of citizen participation• Roman tyranny and empire obliterated

democracy and nationalism but idea lived

Middle Ages

Religious authority: • Roman Catholic Church source of

universalistic authority • Provided universal language—Latin• Christian doctrine was basis for ideas about

rights, justice• Kings often subordinate to papal authority• Holy Roman Empire

Middle Ages

Secular Authority:• Over time, authority of church overturned• Multiethnic empires emerged• Monarchs argued authority came from God• Most lasted into the 20th century

Middle Ages

Local Authority:

• Feudal system—local, micro-level authority

• Organized around principalities, dukedoms, baronies, fiefdoms

Middle Ages

Local Authority (continued):

• Nobles exercised sovereignty or authority• Sovereignty often disputed• Feudalism ends by 13th century

Decline of Feudal System

1. Military Technology: gunpowder; cannons; commoners could fight knights

2. Economic Expansion: improved trade; larger ships; beginning of mass production (factories); created wealthy class; growth of political areas to support economy

Decline of Universalistic Authority

• Decline in papal authority• Increase in royalty• Protestant Reformation (Martin Luther)• King Henry VII—created Anglican Church • Treaty of Westphalia (1648) ended centralized

European power• Rise of the Sovereign State

Westphalia

18th & 19th Centuries

Multi-polar system (1648-mid1900s)• Power poles: the major powers at any

given time• Marked by shifting alliances designed to

preserve a balance of power

Multi-Polar System

• Industrialization and advances in weaponry and technology changed politics

• Euro-American imperialism• Imperialist subjugation of Asians, Africans,

and others by Europeans and Americans set the stage for two spheres: wealthy and poor (still exist)

The 20th Century• Rapid pace of change critical• Monarchy taken over by democracy in the

1900s.• Nationalism (political term holds that a nation

—usually defined in terms of ethnicity or culture—has the right to constitute an independent or autonomous political community based on a shared history and commonality)

• Led to dissipation of multi-ethnic empire

Bipolar System

• WWII bipolar system

• United States and Soviet Union

1.Cold War = issue of balance of power2.North Atlantic Treat Organization (NATO)

resulted as did other regional alliances

Bipolar System

3. Both sent $$$ to various governments and rebel groups

4. Outgrowth of containment = Viet Nam• Changed views• Signified crumbling of bipolar system

Bipolar System

5. End of History: Fall of the German wall and reunification of Germany

21st Century

• Development of Unipolar System: United States

• Hegemonic power: The processes by which dominant culture maintains its dominant position

• Dominance vs. balance on world stage• Limited unipolar system? How to measure?

21st Century

• Future of polarity? • Aggression and unilateral decisions may affect

power structure• Growth of regional groups such as the

European Union• Nonwestern countries have stronger voice

(often struggle economically, less infrastructure, more instability)

Challenges to State Authority

• Fragmentation of state• Pressure to join• McWorld—political integration and economic

interdependence and social integration

Security

• September 11• Weapons of Mass Destruction• Regional organizations• Department of Homeland Security• Assymetrical warfare

Economic Disparity

• North = economically developed countries (EDCs); mostly in Northern Hemisphere

• South = less developed countries (LDCs); mostly southern hemisphere

• Gross national product (GNP): The total market value of all the goods and services produced within the borders of a nation during a specified period.

Economy

• Inter-dependence• International Corporations• Regulation?• Quality of Life• Outsourcing

Human Rights

• Women’s rights, war crimes, etc.• International Criminal Court (ICC): The Hague,

The Netherlands• Now, leaders discuss

Environment

• Sustainable Development• Balance economic development with

sustainable development• Pollution• Hot topic of the day