Explain how theories, such as Dependency Theory and World Systems Theory can contribute to an understanding of changing patterns of global power.
To understand changing patterns of global power is no easy feat, but several theories may give us an insight to the shift of power in our modern world, I wish to talk about these theories and how we can use them to better understand our past and present global power situations.
The first of these theories is Andre Gunder Frank’s Dependency Theory, which revolves around the idea of resources from poor, underdeveloped states (the periphery) going to the wealthy states (core), giving the wealthy states most of the benefits.
The second theory, Wallerstein’s World Systems Theory, divides the
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The Dependency Theory can be applied to this situation, as most resources were going to Britain from colonies under their control, such as India.
After World War 2 the British Empire fell apart due to decolonization. The British Empire could no longer afford to guard all of its borders as the war left it essentially bankrupt, and many countries, India the first, pushed for their own independence.
The pattern then shifted, with the USA and USSR emerging in a bi-polar system where they each had massive power and distinct political differences which led to them fighting each-other indirectly in the Cold War. A system of neo-colonialism also emerged, where the USA and USSR indirectly controlled developing countries, most of which had only recently gained independence. This system is best understood through the dependency theory. The USA and USSR were the core states, and were trying to gain influence and control over as many periphery states as possible to gain both allies and to fight their opponent through proxy war. A notable example is the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, when the USA tried to invade Cuba and failed. After the USA’s failure, the Soviet Union supplied Cuba with nuclear missiles, allowing them to target almost the entirety of the USA. In response, the USA sent military ships around Cuba to prevent the Soviet Union from delivering nuclear weaponry. An agreement was eventually reached that the Soviet Union would stop giving Cuba
The British East India Company took over India because of all the resources that they had. when the company made the Indians join a military they rebelled and started firing back at the British and then the company “called” the British government and they came with big guns to take control and regain India for themselves. British imperialism has a negative impact on the politics of india because of the British courts and the government wasn't far toward the indians. British imperialism had a negative impact on the economy of India because the British did not help the environment and they made railroads to take away from the land. British imperialism had a positive impact on the economy of India because the British eliminated highway robberies,
After the Industrial revolution started in Europe the Europeans needed raw material from other countries and from that came the Idea of Imperialism when one country takes over another. Although what the British were doing seemed to be benefiting India was actually doing the opposite. Many things that the Europeans did to India weather it was political, economic, or social the Europeans found ways to have those things benefit the British and very little or not at all to the Indian.
“Englishmen.. have given the people of India the greatest human blessing - peace.” (Dutt). Merely coming to India in the 1600s to trade, the British East India Company established trading outposts. After ridding of French influence in India during the Seven Years’ War and having Indians mutiny against British rule, Britain gained full control of India. India has been under the imperialist control of the British until their independence in 1947. British imperialism caused some negative effects on India through poverty and persecution, but retained more of a positive impact due to its massive improvements in the modernization of India and the overall improvement of Indian civilization.
India is a great example about how they were too weak. India is probably in the best position for trade, due to its central location between Africa and Asia. India was a great area for trade.Before the West’s power overtook India, it was small not unified. In document 5 a person can be seen weaving on their own. This is before they were introduced to industrial textile production. The British wanted to take control of India and combine with them to become bigger and stronger. Britain saw India as a market and is a source of raw materials they built roads and impressive railroads to transport factory made goods across the subcontinent. These roads and railroads are used to carry materials such as coal and cotton to coastal ports to transfer the factories in England. This description of India can relate to Document 6, in this document a railroad is seen being built under British control. Railroads are an example of modernization taking over this country.
British imperialized India, by indirectly controlling India until the British thought the indians were of use for the British. When the British learned India could help them politically, economically, and socially . The British realized they couldn’t let the Indians overthrow their role so when riots started breaking out in India, Europe took harsher direct rule over India. India did not benefit from British imperialism either politically, economically, or socially.
By around the year 1920, The British have taken control of more than 25 percent of the human population. India was one of those colonies. Originally used by the British East India Company for a source of Cotton, Indigo, and Tea, The British took complete Economic, Social, and Political control of India before the Sepoy Rebellion in 1857. With many natural resources and a huge population of potential consumers, India had become the ¨Jewel in the Crown¨ of the British Empire. The administration of India that Britain created was superbly efficient, leading to the construction of massive infrastructure throughout all of India, and the education of some elite class Indians. On the other hand, British rule of India served the needs of the British
As the world moved on from the nineteenth century and into the twentieth, it became clear that there were several countries rising far above the others, and therefore controlling global affairs. These global giants consisted of the United States and the European great powers. These countries were able to control global affairs because of their expanding scientific and technological knowledge, ideas of nationalism, and practice of imperialism. However, these factors came with side effects, such as radical political movements and a mounting tension among the countries. Early twentieth century, the United States and each of the European great powers became the first countries to hit the scientific and industrial revolutions, giving them significant leads over the rest of the world.
Mearsheimer’s short article “The cause of great power war” explains the occurrence of major power wars. According to Mearsheimer, power gives rise to three kinds of systems which are known as Bipolarity, Unbalanced Multipolarity, and
The British possessed most of the economic and political power and established restrictions, which the Indians were not allowed to go against. However, India received several benefits from Britain’s rule, mainly in economy and education. The British rule in India assisted India in developing its capital for the future, as an independent country. Britain discovered several raw materials, which could easily be produced in India, which meant more wealth.
At this point in time, the main actors in the international system are nation-states seeking an agenda of their own based on personal gain and national interest. Significantly, the most important actor is the United States, a liberal international economy, appointed its power after the interwar period becoming the dominant economy and in turn attained the position of hegemonic stability in the international system. The reason why the United States is dominating is imbedded in their intrinsic desire to continuously strive for their own national interest both political and economic. Further, there are other nature of actors that are not just nation-states, including non-states or transnational,
Let's start with India. India during this age had a lot to offer Britain. India was filled with raw materials that Britain wanted. They started the British East India Company in order to take over. They continuously grew in power and started to influence
The balance of power theory is viewed as critical policy in the handling of international relations. To fully comprehend how the balance
The current international system is fragmenting rapidly since the end of the Cold War. A lot of regions in the world are still trying to find the balance of power in the international system, which the U.S. often intervenes to provide its brand of “global leadership”. Some countries like China are emerging as a global power since a few years ago. Subsequently, this will lead to a major threat to the U.S. status as a global major power. The rise of power by China in the international scene signifies the unpredictable nature of the international system. I would argue that the three most critical challenges for the U.S. arising out of this environment are the future world globalization that will cause a conflict between its domestic and foreign policy, the rise of China as a global power, and the ever globalization of terrorism. I believe that the U.S. should be pragmatic in handling its foreign policy and handle each situation independently without a fix doctrine in order to minimize the unintended consequences produced by the globalization of the world.
In the current anarchic world, The United States acts as the global hegemon. However, China’s recent rise to power has lead international relations experts, Ikenberry, Mearsheimer, Subramanian, and Friedberg, to predict an upcoming power shift in the international system. China’s increasing control over the Asia-Pacific region has threatened U.S. power. According to Waltz, the realism paradigm interprets the anarchic structure of the international community, as a constant power struggle. Although each country may be different, to survive, they must all strive for power. Under the liberalism paradigm, the system is still anarchical but cooperation may be achieved by shared norms, and aligned political and economical interests.
The Balance of Power is a fiercely debated topic within the realm of international relations. Its true definition has been impossible to pin down and how it manifests itself has been argued over by many academics, in addition to this the idea is divided between the schools of thought that it is a force for preserving peace or a force for tension and war. This essay will look to examine the balance of power using retrospective analysis of historical events, focusing on the lead up to and the outbreak of WWI and its conclusion and the Cold war. Through this it can be hoped to find a clearer definition of the balance of power, whether it is really a balance analogous to a set of scales and whether the balance of power is a way of preserving peace and stability or whether it is on the whole, better termed as the balance of war, creating only tension and instability.