Functionalism
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Functionalism assert that International economic and social cooperation between nations will lead to political cooperation and eliminating war.
- governance (global or governmental) arise out of need of people or states.
- In cooperating in non-sensitive areas
- states can use IGOs to work together
- eventually leading to more sensitive political cooperation
- Early IGOs were developed for cross-border activities
- International Telegraph Union
- Universal Postal Union
- Commission for navigation on the Rhine River
- World Health Organization
- UN Children’s Fund
- Food and Agriculture Organization
- International Labor Organization
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International Organizations here consist of limited amount of members, focusing on a certain area, either economic, social, or environmental problems.
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Functional Relationship: technical experts loses identification with their state, to allegiance of like-minded individuals.
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Like people, states develop functional relationships from economic cooperation
Challenges With Functionalism
- EU will achieve common foreign and security policy. Political decisions may be needed, but actions may not be taken
- Decolonization process was important, but no IO created for it
- International organizations modified global political system, but not transform it
- How can other causes of war, besides economic deprivation, illiteracy, hunger, disease, be alleviated?
- In reality, cooperation spillovers aren’t as easy or common as it’s proposed.