August 30, 2015Comparative Politics1 Governing Globalization Frank H. Brooks

April 19, 2023 Comparative Politics 1

Governing Globalization

Frank H. Brooks


Overview• Aspects of Globalization: Political,

Economic, Societal• Challenges of Globalization to Nation-State• International Relations and “Governing

Globalization”• European Union as New Model?• The “Democratic Deficit”


Aspects of Globalization• Political

– Impact of technology (Internet, etc.) limits state power (decentralized political actors)

– Economic integration and non-governmental links undermine state autonomy

– Control of borders, identity, etc.• Economic

– Increased trade, immigration, foreign direct investment– Faster communication– Faster dissemination of technological innovations– “offshoring”

• Societal / cultural– Increased travel and “virtual” links– Changing identities? – multiculturalism, cosmopolitanism

International Trade

Quarterly Exports 2005-2008

World Trade and GDP 1970-


Key Institutions of Globalization• Multinational Corporations

– Key element of economic globalization– constrain and influence economic decisions of states– “capital flight,” investment, tax competition

• Intergovernmental Organizations– E.g. WTO, UN, EU, International Criminal Court– Created by states (treaties); supplant them?

• Nongovernmental Organizations– E.g. Amnesty International, Greenpeace– “global civil society?”


Is the Nation-State Becoming Irrelevant?• Territoriality less effective

– E.g. immigration, terrorism• Sovereignty (internal and external) undermined

– By intergovernmental organizations, e.g. WTO, ICC– By transgovernmental networks of officials

• Autonomy diminished by external (global) forces– E.g. global warming – vulnerable to actions outside– E.g. terrorism – military force may be less effective

• National identity either atavistic or eroding– Global culture and entertainment– Globalization as social phenomenon– Emergence of “cosmopolitans”


Challenges to Nation-State• Ruggie (“Territoriality and Beyond”)

– State is modern; is there a post-modern configuration of political space?– “unbundled territoriality”– European union is a “multiperspectival polity”

• Transnational microeconomic links– Intrafirm trade– decentered yet integrated “space-of-flows”– “sovereign importance of movement” (not place)

• Identity– Does/can nationality give way to universalistic, global identities?– Atavistic nationalisms, fundamentalism as reactions– Anti-globalization movements

• Globalized states in world of (nation-)states– EU states and war (internal and external)– UN action and inaction– US action and coalitions


Can Globalization Be Governed?• Focus on

– Structures (e.g. constitutions, processes)– Functions (issues on which they’re active)– relations to nation-states (supplant, supplement, enhance)

• World Trade Organization– Evolved out of multilateral banks, free trade treaties and free trade zones– Affects national economic decisions

• International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court– ICJ is part of UN; ICC is separate– ICJ focuses mostly on intergovernmental disputes– ICC is permanent tribunal dealing with individuals and crimes against

humanity, genocide, etc.• From ad hoc prosecution of war crimes to permanent• “Legislation” accomplished already (e.g. Geneva Conventions)• Established by treaty; several major countries (U.S., China, Russia, India)

haven’t joined


International Relations Prior to Globalization• Pre-nation-state period

– Local magistrates, small-scale states– Sometimes, imperial states

• Centrality of nation-states– Relations through law, diplomacy, wars– From bilateral to multilateral treaties

• Emergence of Global/Regional Bodies– League of Nations, United Nations– NATO, Warsaw Pact, Nonaligned Nations


What is the European Union?• Key descriptors:

– Federal v. Supranational– Consider also Subnational and international links

• Various other descriptions and analyses– Ruggie: “multiperspectival polity”– Habermas: thick economic networks; weak political

regulation– Slaughter: regulation by networks of national officials– Plattner: “non-state, non-nation polity”– Weiler: federal constitutional structure alongside confederal

political structure


European Union: History

• Economic origins

• Territorial expansion

• Key treaties

• Proposal for a European Constitution


European Union: Anatomy• Key Structures

– Council of Ministers– European Parliament– European Commission– European Court of Justice– European Central Bank

• Three Pillars– European Communities– Common Foreign and security policy– Police and Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters


EU and the “Democracy Deficit”• Legitimacy and sovereignty

– have been linked to nation-state– Can globalized bodies be legitimate? Rooted in democracy?

• Why is democracy so important?– accountability of political officials– Political counterbalance to power of markets

• Globalization– Seems to be anti-political, anti-state– Is it also anti-democratic?

• EU– Central role of Brussels bureaucrats– Ceremonial role of European Parliament?

The Lisbon Treaty• Key provisions

– President• 2.5 year term (currently 6 months rotating)• Chosen by European leaders• Sets agenda

– Foreign minister • Called “high representative”• Chairs meetings of member nations’ foreign ministers

– National vetoes scrapped– Greater strength to Fundamental Charter of Human Rights– Reduces size of European Commission

• Timeline– Defeat of European Constitution in 2005– December 2007 – new treaty signed by leaders in Lisbon– Ireland votes against in June 2008; questions in Germany and Czech Republic– Ireland approves in 2nd referendum October 2009; Czech president signs Nov. 2009

• EC guide



Globalization Hype?• Is it new?

– Economic: trade, immigration, investment– Political integration?

• Is it exaggerated?– Increased pace of change– Moore’s law applied to globalization

• Is it inevitable?– Adapt to what must happen?– Resistance to globalization (Zapatistas, anti-

WTO, neo-Luddites?)

Documents

August 30, 2015Comparative Politics1 Governing Globalization Frank H. Brooks