Intro to World Politics Ch.8 to 12

Why States sign Human Rights Agreements

1) Democratizing states want to sign human rights agreements to get rid of their past autocratic pasts 2) Contingent rewards provided by others to form linkage. Bribe and threats to sign To join NATO or the EU, you have to have human rights protection 3) Moral and Philosophical reasons 4) Promoting peace and prosperity. Protecting political interests. Globalization 5) Lock-in effects- you don't know who will come to power tomorrow 6)Good PR to sign

Why Human Rights are Controversial

1) Different states may prioritize different sets of human rights ex. US championed political and individual rights, while the USSR emphasized the importance of economic and collective rights 2) Differences in philosophical traditions- human rights have only reflected Western traditions of individualism, not collectivism.

When states take action against human rights violations

1) Domestic political pressure to do something 2) Serving a geopolitical interest and getting a leader out of power ex. Iraqi War (90s and 2003) 3) Bridge the gap between sovereignty and international human rights laws

Why States violate Human Rights

1) Incapacity- want to provide a public good but they don't have the means ex. universal primary education 2) Defense of National Security- violent of potentially violent overthrow of a state is illegal 3) States under attack may be more likely to violate human rights. Wartime violations 4) States want to preserve their own rule

Future of World Politics

1) Middle East? Democracy and the transition? 2) US primacy of power- other states will challenge. China will eventually overtake the US in raw economic power. Need economic power for military power. China can threaten status quo, when it is more powerful. 3) Prospect of nuclear power and rise of power. ex US and Russia confrontation unlikely because they both have nuclear weapons 4) Peaceful transfer of power? Like GB to US 5) Globalization- increase trade.Creating a lot of losers

Strategies for dealing with Regimes that violate human rights

1) Sanctions- may not work and they could hurt innocent people ex Sanctions against Iraq, had Saddam Hussein benefitting and many children were the victims 2) Interventions-peace keeping, mediators, armed force. 3) Transitional justice 4) Individual petition

International Monetary Fund

1944. Major international economic institution. Manage international monetary relations and has reoriented itself to focus on the international financial system, especially debt and currency crisis. Involves both borrowing and lending countries. Getting an "IMF certified" is more attractive to lenders. Interacts directly with governments. Strict rules of spending

2008 US financial crisis

2001- tax cuts, large government deficit. Lots of money borrowed from abroad. Low interest rates from borrowed money. Money went into the housing market 2001-2007 Borrowing boom, more complex ways to borrow, little government oversight. People are happy with the financial expansion 2007-2008 House prices fall, people can't pay their extended mortgages and loans

Why States violate Human Rights Laws

20th century has been the most violent in history. 1) No 3rd party enforcers in international law 2) States want the benefits of signing the agreement but want to still violate them for material benefit 3) States that sign human rights agreements are most likely to break them ex. US torture

Norm Life Cycle

3 stage model of how norms diffuse within a population and achieve a "taken for granted" status. Stage 1- entrepreneurs work to convince people to embrace their belief. Need to use framing principles Stage 2- Once a new frame has been taken, the idea gains sufficient support and becomes a standard widely accepted. Have the "taken for granted" quality

International Law

A body of rules that binds states and other agents in world politic and is considered to have the status of law. Needs to be a unifying set of ideas.

Group of 77

A coalition of developing countries in the UN, formed in 1964, with 77 members. Grown to 130 members, with the same goals of having developing countries views being heard

International Criminal Court (ICC)

A court of last resort of human rights cases that possess jurisdiction only if the accused is a national of a state party or there UNSC has referred the case of the prosecutor.

New International Economic Order

A reorganization of the management of the international economy demanded by LDCs in the 1970s in order to make it more favorable to developing nations

Regional Monetary System

A system in which countries can resolve problems of cooperation, in a more orderly system. (ex. Euro)

Benefits of FDI to developing countries

Allows them to gain capital, skilled labors, business ideas, and technology not usually available to them. Can't access natural resources with out technology

Washington Consensus

An array of policy recommendations generally advocated by developed country economists and policy makers starting in the 1980s, including trade liberalization, privatization, openness to foreign investment and restrictive monetary and fiscal policy

Multinational Corporations (MNC)

An enterprise that operates in a number of countries, with production or service facilities outsides its country of origin. Benefits- gain access to local markets and resources, cheap labor, support form home for foreign activities. Costs- outsourcing domestic jobs, environmental and humanitarian concerns, cultural concerns

Fixed Exchange Rate

An exchange rate policy under which a government commits itself to keep its currency at or around a specific value in terms of another currency or commodity, such as gold. Costs- governments don't have its own independent monetary policy. Smaller countries preference.

Monetary policy

An important tool of national government to influence broad macroeconomic conditions such as unemployment, inflation, and economic growth. Typically, governments alter their monetary policies by changing national interest rates or exchange rates.

Commodity cartels

Associations of producers of commodities (raw materials and agricultural products) that restrict world supply and cause the price of goods to rise

Capital Mobility

Banks can make bad investments and then they have the hope that the government can bail them out. Moral hazard

East Asian financial crisis 1997

Booming economies, with a fall out in the housing & financial market. Recession that spread from Thailand , to the Philippines, Malaysia and Korea

Domestic factors for low development

Boost development with the supply of public goods. Infrastructure (transportation, telecommunication networks, power, and water supply) supplies support for economic development. Social infrastructure (public health, education, and urban planning). Representative governments provide public goods better. Need secure property rights. Need all people to have equal factors

Puzzle of Investment

Capital from developed countries often goes towards other developing countries. There are a lot of risks for investing in developing countries. They may not pay back their loans or nationalize their loans.

Less developed countries (LDCs)

Countries at a relatively low level of economic development. Mostly sell primary products (agriculture and natural resources) in a oligopolistic market, harder for them to make a profit.

Universal Jurisdiction

Countries claim the right to prosecute others with crimes against humanity, regardless of citizenship and location. ex. Spain wanted to extradite Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet for crimes against humanity when he was in England. ex. Spain wanted to charge the US with torture of Spanish citizens in Guantanamo Bay

Domestic Institutions

Countries rich in natural resources, only seek to increase the wealth, they could make from those natural resources

Europe financial crisis 1992

Countries tied their currency to the Deutsche mark. Germany decides to raise the interest rates. GB & Italy increased their interest rates as well, so people would hold on to their pounds and lira. That didn't work as planned and they had to devalue their currency.

Democracies and Human Rights issues

Democracies are less likely to violate human rights. They have a more manageable treatment of citizens. Most conflicts of human rights issues have been already burnt out in democracies. ex. What the Middle East is going through now is what Europe went through in the 20th century. Contested borders, ethnic group fighting.

Controversy of Multinational Corporations

Foreign investment depresses wages and jobs domestically. Human rights and environmental concerns. Export culture, and there are many concerns from a homogenous world. Corruption in the host country. ex New Guinea is a poor country with oil, the regime is very corrupt and spends all the oil money. Exxon Mobil has business there

History of Exchange Rates

Gold Standard- provided stability and predictability, but wasn't the best. Collapse in 1930s, didn't help Bretton Woods System- organize around USD, that was tied to gold. IMF institutionalized exchange rates even more. Today- since 1973, some major countries (US, Japan, Germany, and GB) have switched to floating exchange rates. IMF acts as a barrier to this

Controversy of Foreign Investment

Governments borrow irresponsibly for politically reasons. There are also other problems in developing countries. Heavy borrowing and heavy spending. Political incentives to borrow a lot

European financial crisis 2011

Greece, Portugal, Ireland and Spain borrowed heavily after the Euro was created. When the recession of 2008 hit, those countries were hit very hard.

How nations reduce taxes

Increase taxes, cut spending, raise interest rates, restrain wages, restrain profits, restrain consumption and reduce imports and increase exports

Norm entrepreneurs

Individuals and groups who seek to advance principled standards of behaviors for states and other actors, Usually TANs

Chilean coup d'état

International Telephone and Telegraph Company (MNC) in Chile, tried to overthrow a democratically elected President Allende. This ends in a coup of the government and a murderous dictator Augusto Pinochet, who was more pro-MNC.

Portfolio Investment

Investments in a foreign country via the purchase of stocks (equities), bonds or other financial instruments. Don't exercise managerial control of the foreign operation

International Institutions and Development

Major institutions (IMF, World Bank, WTO, UN) are dominated by rich countries, who are unaware of what the poor countries need.

Bretton Woods Monetary System

Negotiated among WWII allies in 1944, which lasted until the 1970s. USD tied to gold and all other currency tied to the USD

Norms Cascade

Norms change based on movements. ex. abolitionist and women's rights movement to give women and slaves the right to vote.

Why State care about other's human rights record

Out of principle. States that violate human rights tend to be bad international actors ex Nazi Germany. Strategic use of a state's human rights record.

Status of Law

Primary Laws- with a negative injunction (don't do X) or a positive injunction (must do Y). Secondary laws are about the rule making itself

Bias against the LDCs in the international economy

Rich countries have disproportionate influence in international economic institutions. Rich countries also refuse to liberalize their agricultural and labor markets

Nonderogable rights

Rights that cannot be suspended for any reason, including at times of public emergency. Ex. Freedom from torture or cruel or unusual punishment, recognition or a person before the law, freedom or though, conscious and religion.

Export oriented industrialization (EOI)

Set of policies, originally pursued stating in the late 1960s by several East Asian countries, to spur manufacturing for export, often through subsidies and incentives for export production. Now dominate strategy ex. South Korea

Import substituting industrialization (ISI)

Set of policies, pursued by most developing countries from 1930s through the 1980s, to reduce imports and encourage domestic manufacturing often through trade barriers, subsidies to manufacturing , and state ownership of basic industries. Most LDS followed this from 1950 to 1970 and it worked ex. Brazil and Mexico

Soft vs Hard Laws

Soft laws are with low obligations and precision. Most laws start out like this and then become hard laws with more obligations and precisions. ex FCCC created more "hard" laws with the Montreal and Kyoto Protocol.

Delegation

The degree to which 3rd parties such as courts, arbitrators or mediators, are given authority and apply international legal rules, to resolve disputes over the rules, or to make additional rules. ex new European Court of Justice has high delegation. Most readily to comply with decisions.

Precision

The degree to which international legal obligations are fully specified. More precise rules narrow the scope for reasonable interpretation. Some laws are open to interpretation on purpose.

Geographical reasons for low development

Tropical areas are generally more poor, temperate areas are richer. Regions with disease and areas far from major markets are less developed.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

UN general assembly (1948). Defines a "common standard of achievement for all peoples" and forms the foundation of modern human rights laws. With this is the Convention of the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. 1st international human rights laws. 4 pillars- dignity, liberty, equality and brotherhood

Customary international Law

Usually develops slowly over time, as a state recognizes practices as appropriate and correct. ex. Diplomatic immunity and freedom of the seas were customary long before they came into law

Colonialism and Development

Very negative. Difference of European settlers going where they could easily prosper (US) vs. going where they could easily die (Latin America). Part of the reason why the US developed faster

Mexican financial crisis 1994

Wanted to keep up with the USD. Major political problems. Investors sold off currency, so the government had to devalue their currency

International monetary regime

a formal or informal arrangement among governments to govern realties among their currencies, the agreement is shared by most countries in the world economy. Makes it clear if currency values are fixed, floating or mixed. Decide on mutually accepted benchmarks to which the currency is tied.

Adjustable peg

a monetary system of fixed but adjustable rates. Governments are expected to keep their currencies fixed for extensive periods but are permitted to adjust the exchange rate from time to time, as economic conditions change

Boomerang Model

a process through which NGOs in one state are able to activate transnational linkages to bring pressure from other states in their own governments

Individual petition

a right that permits individuals to petition appropriate international legal bodies directly if they believe a state has violated their rights. ex European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR)

Floating exchange rate

an exchange rate policy under which a government permits its currency to be traded on the open market without direct government control intervention

Leverage Politics

enlist international organizations and powerful states to enforce norms

Transitional Justice

get the old regime out and slowly replace with a new regime. The country needs to know what they did wrong

Procedural norms

how decisions involving multiple actors should get made. Mostly more powerful states often get a larger say

Transnational Advocacy Network (TANs)

individuals and groups who seek to advance principled standards of behavior for states and other actors. Includes social movements, foundations, philanthropic organizations, the media, churches, trade unions, consumers and others. Work as endorsers and monitors

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

investment in a foreign country via the acquisition of a local facility or the establishment of a new facility. Direct investors maintain managerial control of the foreign operation

Sovereign Lending

loans from private institutions in one country to the sovereign government of another

Enforcement of International Law

no police in International relations. Only works if it benefits others. Mostly effective because most states do follow international laws, except if it didn't appeal to the states interests and interactions.

International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

the agreement completed in 1966 and enforced form 1976 that details the civil and political rights of individuals and nations.

International Convenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)

the agreement completed in 1966 and enforced form 1976 that specifies the basic economic, social and cultural rights of individuals and nations. Some conservatives argue that the ICESCR should not be considered rights, because they pertain to certain rights

Austerity

the application of policies to reduce consumption, typically by the cutting of government spending, raising taxes and restricting wages

Regulative norms

the behavior of actors in their interactions with other states. Nuclear weapons taboo.

Obligation

the degree to which states are legally bound by an international rule. High obligation rules must be performed in good faith and if breeched, require reparations to the injured party.

Central Bank

the institution that regulates monetary conditions in an economy, typically by affecting interest rates and quantity of money in circulation.

Gold Standard

the monetary system that prevailed between 1870-1914, countries tied their currencies to gold at a legally fixed price

Exchange rate

the price at which one currency is exchanged for another

Human rights

the rights possessed by all individuals by virtue of being a human being, regardless of citizenship of a particular states or members of a group or organization.

Norms and the distribution of power

the spread of nuclear weapons is bad (norm). The countries who spread this norm already have nuclear weapons. Have vs. Have-nots

Depreciate

to decrease in value in terms of other currency, When currency becomes cheaper for foreigners. low interest rates, lead to decrease demand for the currency, which leads to depreciate

Appreciate

to increase in value in terms of other currency. when the currency becomes more expensive to foreigners. High interest rates, lead to increase demand for the currency, which leads to appreciation.

Bank for International Settlements (BIS)

1930. Members include the world's principal central banks, and they all attempt to cooperate in the financial realm.

Bilateral investment treaty (BITs)

An agreement between 2 countries about the conditions for private investment across borders. Most BITs include provisions to protect an investment from government discrimination without compensation, as well as establishing mechanisms to resolve disputes

Debt Crisis

Developing countries run out of money, lender lend less money, countries run out of money and so on. 1983, major problem in Latin America 1994-Mexico financial collapse. 1997-1998 East Asia countries collapse. 1991 Russia and Brazil. 2000-2001 Argentina

International Bill of Rights

ICCPR and ICESCR together make up the International Bill of Rights. They were left separate because of Cold War politics. Few human rights have achieve this "taken for granted" status.

Information politics

Importance of framing information a certain way.

Where Norms come from

Moral entrepreneurship and TANs. Rational incentives ex nuclear taboo, and the cooperation across the trenches during WWI. Norms are often reflective of the interests of the powerful

Norms

Standards of behavior for actors with a given identity; norms define what actions are "right" or appropriate under particular circumstances.

World Bank

international lending institution that provides loans at below-market interest rates to developing countries, typically to enable them to carry out development projects.

Prisoners of Conscience (POCs)

used by the Amnesty International Organization to refer to individuals imprisoned solely because of the peaceful expression of their beliefs. Nelson Mandela

Constitutive norms

who is legitimate or appropriate as an actor under certain circumstances