Chapter 1: The Challenges of Global Governance §

(F) Day of the week: Friday Class: IS305 Created Time: October 23, 2020 10:57 AM Database: Class Notes Database Date: October 23, 2020 10:57 AM Days Till Date: Passed Last Edited Time: September 8, 2021 6:24 PM Tags: (NEED PROCESS) Type: Reading Notes

Content

Globalization creates new international issues which cannot be dealt with by a lone sovereign state.

What is Global Governance? §

conflicting or diverse interests may be accommodated and cooperative action may be taken

global governance as the sum of the informal and formal ideas, values, norms, procedures, and institutions that help all actors—states, IGOs, civil society, and TNCs—identify, understand, and address trans-boundary problems.”

Sovereign states still exercise their coercive power, but global governance rely more on other bases of authority.

It also disconnect from the use of coercive force and legitimate rule.

Why The Need for Global Governance Now? §

globalization, technological advances, the Cold War’s end, and the growth of transnationalism led to rapid systematic changes in the world.

1. Globalization §

since the late 1980s

Definitions of Globalization

• Integration of national economies into the international economy through trade
• Direct Foreign Investment
• Short-term capital flows
• International flows of workers and humanity
• The flow of technology

1.1. Problem It Created §

• The free flow of people also allows unwelcomed illegal actors such as terrorists and drug traffickers.
• The diversity of ethnicity and culture made nationalism the reaction to globalization
• Global events and problems can be felt from the other side of the world
• It widens the gap of inequality

1.2. Result §

The interconnectedness of nations led to huge growth in transnational, regional, and global forms of public and private rulemaking and regulation.

• International Maritime Organization
• Financial Action Task Force
• Forest Stewardship Council

Cooperation between states in managing their transnational affairs.

2. Technological Change §

The technological advancement in transport and communication (Telephone, Internet, Container Ships, Planes)

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People could voice their opinions, mobilize movement, or share societal images without the censorship of the Government.

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This created transnational groups and social movements around the world.

3. The Cold War’s End §

• The international system shifted from a bipolar structure to a post–Cold War structure that was simultaneously unipolar, dominated by a single superpower (the United States), and a nonpolar, networked system of a globalized world.
• It contributed to the third wave of globalization
• it produced a series of new governance challenges as well as possibilities for developing new forms of governance
  • It removed superpowers from weak states, starting deadly conflicts in Yugoslavia, Somalia, Afghanistan
  • It also create space for new cooperation in ending those conflicts and for more trade and investment

4. Expanding Transnationalism §

From globalization and democratization, transnationalism involves non-state actors working together across state borders

• Global Civil Society
• NGOs
• Transnational Advocation Networks
• Transnational Social Movements

4.1. Civil Society §

Difference between Civil Society and NGOs

• NGOs is run by elites with small links to citizens but to better civilians’ lives
• Civil Society are run by elites but can be for either good or bad purposes

Fields

• Environmental Issues
• Human Rights
• Economic Development
• Security

Actors in Global Governance §

• Some actors in Global Governance
  • States
  • IGO bureaucracies
  • treaty secretariats
  • NGOs
  • multinational corporations (MNCs)
  • scientific experts
  • civil society groups
  • international credit-rating agencies
  • thinktanks
  • major foundations networks
  • partnerships
  • private military and security companies
  • transnational criminal and drug-trafficking networks

1. States §

States are still a key actor in Global Governance

• State sovereignty gives them power to weigh in on decisions in international institutions
• Participate in the process of finding solutions for international issues
• Traditionally, states have been the primary sources of IGOs’ funding and of military capabilities for multilateral peacekeeping and peace enforcement
• The creator of international institutions, international laws, norms

🇺🇸 The U.S. after WWII, shaped international system with its liberal international economic order, support of multilateralism, and its liberal ideas. IGOs built structures compatible with the U.S.’s system.

The dominant hegemonic position of the U.S. since the USSR collapse has been dwindling with new rising powers have co-influence in the world.

1.1. Hegemon §

• Use their power to shape structure and rules in international institutions
  • International Economic order
• Promote multilateralism, cooperation, and liberal ideas with soft-power
  • Public goods
  • Reduce trade barriers for poorer states
• It has superiors decision making power in international institutions (veto power)

1.2. Emerging Power §

China, India, Brazil

• Major contributor to UN Peacekeeping
• It could take over as the hegemony
• Sanctions, economic punishments aren’t effective on them

1.3. Middle-power state §

have important role with International institutions

• Commitment to multilateralism & support reform of International system
• Major contributor to UN Peacekeeping
• Act in leadership positions in UN
• Provide Diplomatic skills (law, technical experts)

1.4. Small Powers §

• form coalitions to have bigger voice in international stage
• G77: to solve collective economic interests

2. Non-Governmental Organization §

They put pressure on other actors to comply with the solution agreed upon for international issues.

• Embarrass actors: Public report, exposé
• Raise awareness of issues
• Source of information and technical expert

3. Inter-Governmental Organization §

• Organizational cultures, norms
• Make policy recommendations
• Collect and share information between states
• Lobbying and facilitating states

4. Experts §

They are transnational network, working with specialized knowledge

• Proposing solutions or policy recommendations for states to implement
• Raise awareness and education

5. Multinational Corporation §

Companies having operations in multiple different countries

They have power to contribute to common international issues.

How?

• It’s large size and profit makes MNC have power to control states’ economic fates
  • They can shape governmental policies, by either bringing their business there or not
• Directly: operating their business with global issues in mind
• Indirectly: lobbying, peer pressure other MNCs to conform, reject non-conforming state

Pieces of Global Governance §

1. Inter-Governmental Organizations §

• product created by states
• comprised of at least 3 states

1.1. Functions §

• Informational: gather and analyze data
• Forum: a platform to exchange views and for decision makings
• Normative: to create norms and defining standards of behavior
• Rule-creating: drafting legal binding treaties for states to obey together for mutual benefit
• Rule-supervisory: monitor members’ compliance to the rules, settling disputes, taking enforcement measures
• Operational: directly allocate resources, providing assistance and relief, deploying forces

IGOs Can make lots of contributions to common global affairs

1.2. Different geographic scopes types of IGOs §

• Global IGOS (UN, WTO, …)
• Regional IGOs (ASEAN, EU, …)
• Sub-regional IGOs (Mekong Group…)

1.3. Purposes §

• General Purposes: perform a various tasks: UN, OAS
• Specialized: focus on specific issues only

1.4. Limitations §

• Limited resources: funded by states
• lack enforcement power: bound by rules and charter to respect sovereignty, states’ tool

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Why do states join IGOs?

It has more benefits than drawbacks

• It’s easier for states to gain security of economy, political, symbolic
• Gain recognition as a sovereign state and as a name in the international level

2. Non-Governmental Organizations §

They are private voluntary organizations

Members are individuals or non-state actors

2.1. Goals §

The goal is to achieve a common purpose

• Human rights

• Peace

• Environment

• Disaster Relief

• Humanitarian aid in war-torn societies

• Development Assistance

More peaceful methods or goals

2.2. Methods Of Operation §

Some NGOs perform directly the services regarding the issue

• Providing loans to bankrupt
• Assistance relief
• Education for longer term self-reliance

Some NGOs pressure other actors to take action regarding the issue

• Publishing exposé, protests…

2.3. Limitations §

• Operates inside a state which falls under their rules, must be accepted by government, funded by government
• Limited credibility: could be biased or grant special treatment to funder
• Even more limited resources financial and human than IGOs, funds from individuals, not enough to perform direct assistance

3. International Law §

3.1. Source of Domestic/National Laws §

The process of law making is top down (Government to citizen)

3.2. Sources of International Laws §

The process of law making is democratic, where states act on an equal ground to decide

• Treaties & conventions: negotiations between states in deciding in the written form
• Customary practice: common practices that concerts into the norm/law
• Writing of legal scholars: to reference similar past writings/scholars to provide input in the new law
• Judicial decisions & presidents:
• General principles of law:

3.3. Limitations §

• Powerful states will not sign documents which limit the practice of their power
• Little to no enforcement power, rely on willingness of states
  • States choosing to obey for moral/right reason to comply
  • Peer pressure from members or allies, isolation, sanctions

4. International Norms or Soft Law §

Soft laws are generally accepted norms or belief unwritten in the international system that are:

• A standard of behavior
• Non-binding: states have no obligation to obey if it negatively affect themselves.
• Have little/no enforcement power

4.1. Functions §

• It shapes states’ behaviors in the long term (guilt, peer pressure)
  • Sometimes states conform not for their national interest but to fit in.
• It can be written into actual law, acceptance of it being real (Codified)
  • Ex: UNCLOS: Law of the Sea

4.2. Limitations §

• Depend on willingness of states to participate (no enforcement)

5. International Regimes §

A set of rules/laws + A Decision making mechanism

Rules and procedures according to their principals and norms, turning them into instructions

Nuclear Proliferation Treaty is created according to IAA, developing peaceful process in using nuclear energy.

Governance without government

• No need of a body
• Just conventions and meetings to create procedures

Evolution §

International Norms → International Laws → International Regimes → International Institutions

Decision Makings in Global Governance §

1. Voting §

Horizontal voting system: where all actor has the same vote

• one state = one vote

weighted voting: where actors’ voting importance changes among all actors according to their importance

qualified voting: simple majority 50%+1 voting to pass

2. Non-voting §

Lack of Leadership: States aren’t willing to lead in self-less international project

Actor-Strategies:

Challenges: Power and Legitimacy §

National government possess hierarchical authority

International Institutions need consensus and cooperation from member states to have power

To increase the compliance among states, you need to increase accountability and transparency of the institution

It’s difficult, how?

• No real leader to report to: UNSG isn’t binding
• UNSG can try to improve operation and increase transparency