Geopolitics & Supranationalism

What is Geopolitics?Organic TheoryLebensraumHeartland TheoryRimland TheorySupranationalism & EU

How do Geopolitics Help us Understand the World?

“Geopolitics is the interplay among geography, power, politics, and international relations. Geopolitics brings locational considerations, environmental contexts, territorial perspectives, and spatial assumptions to the

fore.” -- de Blij 262

Geopoltics fit into two categories: German School: explanation why certain states are

powerful and how to be become powerful British/American School: offers strategic advice for

states and explains why countries interact at the global scale the way they do

Critical Geopolitics

Ideas of intellectuals of statecraft about places Influence and reinforce their political behaviors

and policy choices Less about prediction

Affect how ordinary people process notions of places and politics

For example: Cold War was ‘us’ v. ‘them’ ‘us’ equals pro-democracy, independent, self-

sufficient and free ‘them’ equals in some way all things opposite

Ratzel’s Organic State Theory

Organic Theory: Friedrich Ratzel Based on Darwin’s theories of evolution Need of a state for territory and overseas

connections in order to survive Described expansion of empires and large

states in the 19th century Eventually contributed to Nazi expansion

Mackinder’s Heartland Theory

Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland

Who rules the Heartland commands the World Island

Who rules the World Island commands the world

What Are Supranational Organizations?

Supranational organization: A separate entity composed of three or more states that forge an association and form an administrative structure for mutual benefit in pursuit of shared goals

Examples: European Union United Nations WTO (World Trade Organization) OPEC (Oil and Petroleum Exporting Countries)

A European Timeline

Shortly after WWII: Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Lux) 1947: OEEC (Organization for European Economic Cooperation) 1951: ECSC (European Coal and Steel Community) Belgium, W.

Germany, France, Italy Luxembourg & Netherlands 1957: EEC (European Economic Community) Treaty of Rome- consisted

of Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Italy 1973: EC (European Community) Ireland, UK and Denmark Custom duties were abolished between all states in 1977 1981: Greece became a member 1986: Spain and Portugal became member of EC 1992: EU (European Union) Treaty of Maastricht 1995: Austria, Finland and Sweden joined EU 1999: Euro introduced in circulation 2004: EU expanded to include Cyprus, Malta, Czech Rep., Estonia,

Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia 2007: two new members, Romania and Bulgaria join Union

What is Unique about EU?

It is not a state, nor a simple organization of states (unique in this regard)

EU has multifaceted gov’t structure; three capitals (Brussels, Strasbourg, Frankfurt & the Hague) and billions in monetary flow

EU extends into foreign relations, domestic issues, military policies States have sovereignty within the EU, but must abide by EU

guidelines in order to remain a participant in the EU EU membership is optional, but has proven to be highly sought

after There is no Constitution, but a Treaty (Treaty of Lisbon 2007) that

binds member states to set standard of laws by 2009 Parliament would be given more leeway in proposing and changing

laws A Day in the Life of a Parliamentary Member

€ 2012

€ 2009

€ 2011

The EU Parliament

Lisbon Treaty

Member Nations of the European UnionMember Nations of the European Union

1957blue

1973green

1981red

1986yellow

1995orange

2004purple

2007lavender

Europe

Atlantic Ocean

Faroe Islands(Denmark)

Norwegian Sea

Iceland

SwedenFinland

Norway

Poland

Czech Rep.

Hungary

Slovakia

Romania

Ukraine

Russia

Belarus

Moldova

U.K.Ireland

Spain

Germany

France

Belgium

Neth.

Lux.

Italy

Estonia

Latvia

Lithuania

Russia

BulgariaSerbia

Alb.

Bos.& Herz.

Mont.

Greece

Portugal

Turkey

Cyprus

Mace.

Croatia

Slovenia

Austria

Liech.

San Marino

Monaco

MaltaTunisiaAlgeriaMorocco

Switz.

Denmark

Mediterranean Sea

Greenland(Denmark) Jan Mayen

(Norway)

Reaction Prompt:

Based on your understanding of ‘how the EU works’ from what is being discussed and read, determine the level of sovereignty each member state has. Is the European Union good for Europe? Provide in-depth reasoning.