International Relations

Global Interdependence

• Means people and nations all over the world depend on each other for goods and services

• US imports 50% of its oil• Must maintain good relations = Foreign

Policy• US imports many minerals but exports

many finished products

Global Trade

• Most important part of interdependence is trade

• Nations compete to sell products

• Many advantages – Business make more profit– More products to choose from

Global Trade

• Many disadvantages– Force weak companies out of business– Hurts small nations economies– Higher unemployment

• Nations often try to protect their industries from foreign competition

• Protectionism – placing tariffs on imports

Trade Agreements

• Free trade – a policy that eliminates tariffs

• NAFTA – North American Free Trade Agreement reduces tariffs among Canada, the US, and Mexico

• WTO – World Trade Organization – working to reduce tariffs among more than 150 nations and eliminate

Growing Economic Inequality

• Large gap between worlds rich and poor• 25 or so “rich” nations like US, Japan,

Germany, Canada, Great Britain, France• Called Developed nations• Have many natural resources, production and

industry• Produce the most goods that are sold

worldwide• Less developed nations – 165 poor nations

Characteristics of Developing Nations

• Such as Chad, Albania, Paraguay, Uganda• Few natural resources, little to export• Some have one major resource like the middle

east and their oil or South America and their coffee

• People of these nations suffer from famine, health issues and terrorism

• Most developed nations are in the northern hemisphere, less developed are in the south

Process of Economic Development

• Developed and developing nations need each other

• Rich nations sell their things to poor ones

• 1/3 of American exports went to developing countries

• Rich nations try to help poor ones

Foreign Aid

• Giving aid favors nations that support us• Should we be spending money on our own

problems

Environmental Destruction

• Pollution does not recognize borders• Acid Rain – coal burning factories release sulfur

dioxide gas into the air, mixes with water vapor, then falls

• Countries try to form commissions to find solutions

• Conservation – limiting the use of polluting resources

• Some believe conservation is bad for economy• Poor nations can not afford anti-pollutions rules

The United Nations

• Purpose of the UN– Internationalism – idea that nations should cooperate

to promote common aims– Started with League of Nations after WWI– US was creator of UN– 1945 – 50 countries signed in

Main Goals of the UN

» Maintain international peace» Develop friendly relations among nations» Promote justice and cooperation» Seek solutions to global problems

Structure of the UN

General Assembly

– All 191 nations belong to it– Each nation has a single vote– Holds regular and special sessions

Security Council– Peacekeeping arm– Five Permanent members – US, UK, Russia, France,

China– 10 non-permanent members for 2 year terms– Each has one vote, needs nine votes for important

decisions– Permanent members can veto– Tries to persuade countries to not fight

Secretariat

– Day to day operations– Lead by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon– Five year term, two term limit

International Court of Justice

– World court – judicial arm– Located in The Hague, Netherlands– 15 justices settle disputes between nations– No power to enforce its rulings

Economic and Social Council

– Concerned with bettering human living conditions

– Promote higher standard of living for all– 54 nations serve on the council, 3 year term

Agencies

• WHO – World Health Organization– International health work

• UNICEF – United Nations Children’s Fund– Started in 1946 to help children after WWII– Goal is to help protect and educate children

• World Bank– Loans money to developing nations at low interest

• IMF – International Monetary Fund– 183 nations promote financial and technological

cooperation

– Combat hunger, disease, poverty, ignorance, etc.

Standards For Human Rights

• Human Rights – Basic freedoms and rights that all people should enjoy

• Right to safety, food, shelter• Some countries deny their people these rights• Commissions started to investigate countries • Groups and Individuals taken to court for war

crimes

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• Signed in 1948• 30 articles about how the treatment of people should

be• Article 1 – All humans are equal in dignity and rights• Article 3 – Freedoms like movement, asylum,

nationality, to marry and have a family, own property• Article 22 to 27 – Social, economic, and cultural rights

of people• Article 28 to 30 – People should be free to enjoy

human rights

Protecting Human Rights

• UN High Commissioner for Human Rights directs activism

• Oversees programs to protect humans and their rights

• Draws public attention to violations• International Tribunal – courts with the

authority from the UN to hear cases and make judgments about violations of human rights

• Genocide – the deliberate killing of a racial or cultural group

Growth of Democracy

• 1900 – 12% of people lived in a democracy• 1950 – 31% • 2001 – 60%• Democracy – political system in which the

people choose their leaders freely• Beyond the definition – “Fully Free” 89 countries• 54 “Partly Free” countries, meeting minimum

standard• 37% of world’s population is not free

Rights in South Africa

• 1960s White leaders of South Africa legalized apartheid

• Apartheid – Policy of racial separation between whites and blacks

• Laws dictated every part of black’s lives• Could be jailed indefinitely without cause like

Nelson Mandela• Lasted 40 years

Safeguarding Democracy – The Cold War

• After WWII, Soviet Union forced countries to become satellites

• Satellites – countries politically and economically dominated by a more powerful nation

• Soviet’s wanted to expand their empire• Free nations of the West vs. Communist nations• Cold War – more a of a clash of ideas than

weapons• Democracy vs. Communism• 1945 to 1991• American Presidents have made it goal of US to

promote democracy

The War on Terror

• In response to 9/11• US and other nations pledging to establish

democracy and liberty to all people around the world