January 31 2008

The changing face of international news

Thomas Abraham

Why bother about international news?

We live in an interconnected world.

Whether it is terrorism, war, disease, climate change, events in any part of the world have an impact on us

We live in a unique time in history

For the first time in several hundred years, the global political and economic system is dominated by a single nation.

Look at these indicators of US power

Military power: US military budget of over US$ 300 billion a year accounts for 40-45 percent of global defense spending. The US budget is equivalent to the combined military budgets of the next 15 most powerful countries.

It spends this amount without putting a strain on its economy: defense spending is only around 3.5 percent of GDP.

“Being Number One at great cost is one thing. Being the world’s single superpower on the cheap is astonishing.” Paul Kennedy

Economic Power

The US economy (2004 GDP US$ 11.6 trillion) is nearly two and a half times the size of the world’s second largest economy Japan (US $ 4.6 trillion)

Rank Country GDP (millions of USD)

— World 44,454,843

— European Union 13,502,800

1 United States 12,455,825

2 Japan 4,567,441

3 Germany 2,791,737

4 People's Republic of China 2,234,133

5 United Kingdom 2,229,472

6 France 2,126,719

7 Italy 1,765,537

8 Canada 1,132,436

9 Spain 1,126,565

10 Brazil 795,666

Technological power

US expenditures on R and D are nearly equal to those of the next seven richest - countries combined.

Cultural power: Hollywood, popular music, fast food chains, clothes etc.

We live in an American century

But will it last for ever?

A walk through history

Pre-World War 1: The Age of Empires Dominated by Britain, France, Russia and the

Austro-Hungarian empire, who maintained peace through a balance of power. Divided up most of Asia and Africa among themselves.

Why did it break down?

A world system is stable as long as all the major powers are satisfied with it. If there is a rising power that is not satisfied, system will become unstable.

The pre WW1 balance was upset by the growth of Germany as a new power after its reunification by Bismarck in 1871.The system could not accommodate the ambitions of a rising Germany.

What could change the current world order?

Other rising nations and groups of nations:

-The European Union

-China

-Japan

-India

The European Union

A grouping of 27 countries with a common internal market, common currency and closely coordinated economic policies-

Taken together, the largest economy in the world

In terms of population, fourth largest entity.

Map: Wikipedia

The European Union

The EU however does not have a unified foreign policy, or military

France and Germany would like to see the EU develop a common foreign and security policy, but other countries, like Britain are not keen

Big question for the EU’s future role in global politics: can it develop a common foreign policy, and develop its military strength?

Japan

Despite the problems of the last decade, still the world’s second largest economy

Once its economic restructuring is complete, there is no reason why Japan can not enjoy another long spurt of growth as it did from the 1960s to 1990.

Japan’s constitution limits the size of its armed forces: but there is a debate on whether this should be revised

Japan has the technology to very rapidly become a nuclear weapons power

China

If China’s economy continues to grow at its current rate of 9 percent, it will overtake Japan by 2020 to become the world’s second largest economy

Already a nuclear weapons power Problems that need to be overcome: reform of

financial structure, unemployment, corruption. Aging population due to one child policy Can growth and modernisation proceed without

political reform?

India

At present, 12th largest economy in the world. If it continues to grow at the current 6-7 percent a year, by 2030 it would have overtaken Japan

Large population. Good technical manpower Nuclear weaponry as well as large armed

forces Problems: poverty social inequalities, social

tensions, governmental inefficiencies

A few decades down the road

In the next two to three decades, the balance of global economic power will shift towards Asia, powered by China, Japan and India.

As the European Union expands and consolidates, it could become a major global player

The rise of a multi-polar world? How will the US react to this?

The subjects of international news are changing

Traditionally, international news has occupied itself with war, disasters, crises, and diplomacy.

The new 21st agenda for international news, is much broader and more exciting

It will be driven not so much by the formal relations between nations, but the consequences of globalisation.

Environmental wear and tear:

-climate change

-global water shortages

-preserving and protecting natural resources

Global inequality

-global trade and inequality

-consequences of growing inequalities between nations and regions

Poisoned fruits of globalisation

-drug smuggling

-human trafficking

-international arms trade

The website

http://www.jmsc.edublogs.org We will report on four broad topics

-US presidential primaries

-Environmental issues- climate change, global water shortage, global food shortage

-Poisoned fruits of globalization ( drug smuggling, people trafficking etc)

-Africa ( current crisis in Kenya etc)

You will form reporting teams of four each, with one person coordinating the week’s stories.

Each of you will write one blog type story a week, focussing on something interesting, informative

Each class, one team will present its stories.