International Relations

RELATIONS AMONG NATION-STATES

What is International Relations?

Broad network of relations among states and includes the activities of their citizens and non state institutions.

Transnational Interaction and

Transnational Relations

Transnational Interactions

Focuses on the activities of non-governmental organizations and individuals which include international trade and commerce, international sports events, world news reporting through various media, tourism and travel, etc.

Non-Governmental Organizations

• Broad category - Not states and non-profit

• Includes religions, charities, political activists, multinational business, academic research communities, and even terrorist groups.

Transnational Relations

• Activities include ceremonial visits by heads of state and other official representatives, diplomatic negotiations and conferences, government grants of capital and technical services, espionage and subversion, various public relations and military of many kinds.

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

International Community

• According to H. B. Jacobeni, it is “the society of international entities, mostly sovereign states, upon which international law is binding.

(e.g. United Nations Organization)

International Organizations

Administrative agencies were created for specialized technical tasks. (e.g. Red Cross)

Machinery for adjudication or conciliation of international disputes was established.

International organizations were created on either a regional or global basis to provide collective security and promote cooperative action on a broad range of other international problems.

Examples of IOs

•Limited Membership, Narrow Purpose: Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

•Limited Membership, Broad Purpose: Association of Southeast Asian Nations

•Universal Membership, Narrow Purpose: Universal Postal Union

•Universal Membership, Broad Purpose: United Nations

International Law

Body of rules or laws which is binding on states and other international persons in their mutual relations.

Cannot be imposed by any individual governmentAdherence is dependent on the voluntary

compliance of individual states.Observed by states when convenient to do so

Sources of International Law

1.Treaties – having the status and validity of a contract between private persons.

2.International Custom – general practices that are observed by nation-states and in time have achieved legal status.

3.Generally Recognized Principles of Law – founded upon intelligent international public policy. (e.g. : good faith, respect for acquired rights and inherent rights of self-preservation)

Sources of International Law

4. Judicial Decisions – judgments of judicial tribunals, both national and international.

5. Writings of publicists – consists of writings on international law of experts in this area of political science.

6. Equity – has the purpose of cushioning the harshness of strict laws. It may be used as a basis for decision of International Court of Justice on a dispute .

State under international law

1. Independent States One which is free to manage all its affairs (external,

internal) without interfere nor control from other states.

Possesses perfect international personality

a.Simple - Has single centralized government exercising power or authority over all its internal or external affairs.

b.Composite - Consist of two or more, each of which possesses a separate government of its own but under a central government which exercises control of external affairs of component states.


2. Dependent States One which is subject to authority of one or more

states in the conduct of its external affairs.

a.Protectorate - state which by mean of treaty, submits itself to the protection of a strong state and in return transfers the management of its important foreign policies to the protector state.

-always an international person; treaty specifies for policy matters are transferred to protector state.

a.Suzerainty - allowed to a certain extent to manage its foreign affairs by the protector (suzerain) state.

-may or may not be an international person.


3. Neutralized States

•independence and integrity are guaranteed by a treaty on condition that it shall not take up arms against any other state, except for self-defense, nor inter into an international agreement by which it would get indirectly involved in war.

(e.g. Belgium, Switzerland and Luxemburg)

Neutralization

-obtained during peace or war, status created by means of treaty: needs to recognized by other states.

TWO MAIN ENDEAVOURS OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Foreign Policy

– The pattern of behaviour that one state adapts while pursuing its interests in relations with other states.

Objectives of a state’s foreign policy

1.Maintaining the territorial integrity of the state.

2.Safeguarding national security.

3.Protecting and maintenance of national prestige.

4.Developing power potential for defense or prosecuting war if necessary.

5.Promoting the interests of the nation’s economy.

Global Conflict

o International relations consist of the actions of people and a consequence, problems are made which may result sometimes in conflict that can exacerbate into a global conflict.

• Major reasons which results global conflict

1.War for power – for political control2.War for ism – clashes between two systems of belief3.War for colonial empire – to secure colonies4.War for self-government – for their independence5.Conflict for “vital interest” among nations

Ways of Lessening Global Conflict

1. Appeasement – concessions made to a potential enemy in the hope that peace will be secured.

2. Arbitration – settling disputes between states by judges selected by the parties to the dispute.

3. Balance of Power – a system of power alignments in which peace may be maintained through an equilibrium of power between the rival blocs.

4. Collective Security – all or most nations agreed in advance to take collective action against any state or states which may break the peace by community aggression. (function of UN today)

5. Conventional arms limit – limiting arms sales and transfers.

Ways of Lessening Global Conflict

6. Diplomacy – process in its totality by which states carry on relations with each other.

7. Disarmament – reduction or elimination of certain or all armaments for the purpose of ending the arms race.

8. Economic sanctions – limiting or stopping trade to erring countries.

9. Humanitarian aid – to deliver food, aid in economic restructuring and support educational initiatives.

10.World Organizations

Education

International Relations