What is International Politics? Explain the difference . Discuss its scope
INTRODUCTION –
The term ‘politics’ connotes the people have wants and needs. To satisfy the wants people come into contact with one another. Naturally, the common needs and wants give birth to groups. Since all men may not have identical interest hence, conflict becomes necessary. Groups do certain activities and follow certain policies to fulfil their interests. The interactions of the groups to fulfil their interests to their maximum extent is politics.
It is the core study of Political science. It studies the relations between the nations. All nations work for their National interest and each state has their own sovereignty and has a different place as a sovereign player in the international arena. It is the study of relationships, interactions, and power dynamics between states, non-state actors, and international organizations in the global arena.
It is a dynamic and ever-changing field that plays a crucial role in shaping the world and the relationships between states and other actors.
Definition :
Definitions of some of the scholars are as follows –
In the words of Morgenthau, “International politics is the struggle for, and use of, power among nations.” The term power denotes the quantity of influence which the nations exert on the minds and actions of the people of one another.
Sprout and Sprout also defined. International Politics are those aspects of the interactions and relations of independent political communities in which some element of opposition, resistance and conflict of purpose or interest is present.
According to Thompson. International Politics is the study of rivalry among nations and the conditions and institutions which ameliorate or exacerbate these relationship.
Padelford and Lincoln define it as “the interactions of state polices within he changing patterns of power relationships.”
Palmer and Perkins opine that International politics is essentially concerned with the state system. With the assistance of those definition it can be deduced that International politics is a process in which nations try to protect their incompatible interest by means of power.
- Difference
- Many a writers have shown their inability in drawing a line of demarcation between international relations and international politics. Kenneth Thompson and Morgenthau consider international politics as an inalienable part of international relations. However, the superfluous resemblance does not make international politics the core of international relations as both are different for each other as shown below:
(a) International relations included all sorts of relations ie. political, economics, cultural, geographical, legal and non-official. As Harold and Margaret Sprout say that all human behaviour on the one side of a national boundry affecting the human behaviour on the other side of the country, is termed as International relations. International politics included only political aspects, action and reaction those are the subjects of international politics. Thus it can be said the international politics is the political aspect of international relations.
(b) The methodology of the study of international relation is descriptive, while that of international politics is purely analytical. In international relations the related factors are being studied chronologically, while in international politics the basis of study is what, when and how of the present with a relationship between the past and the future.
It is established beyond doubt the international politics derives its strength from international relations. The former uses the latter as the basis and subject matter of study and hence both are one at the same timing.
Modern international politics aims at the establishment of peace through the international organisation and international relations too are based on this very principle. Thus, concern for peace is the common denominator between international politics and international relations.
Scope –
In 1954, the book UNESCO was published which was later edited by C.A.W. Manning. In this book international politics recognised as an independent discipline, but the dissenting should not be ignored. The dissenters regard international politics and international relations as merely a duplication of subject-matter.
Most of the scholars of international politics ascribe the following scopes in the study of this discipline:
(I) State System:
In the words of Palmer and Perkins, state system is the starting point to the study of International politics. The state system has influenced the international field since last three centuries The individuals organise themselves in sovereign states and through them strive to fulfil their interests. The incompatible interest of these sovereign states, generate conflict. Thus international politics is the natural corollary of the conflict of sovereign states.
(II) National Interest:
National interest are the goals of sovereign states which they pursue with the help of power. The foreign policy is invariably formulated on the basis of national interests. Thus the national interest can be viewed as the pivot around which international politics as a field of study is focused upon and through the processes, states adjust their national interests to those of other states.
(iii) National Power
It is a struggle for power among nations. Whatever the ultimate aims of international politics be, power is always its immediate aim. National power is the factor which gives a nation a capacity to pursue its national interest and at the same time it makes the nation effective is international relations. Thus, the national power is the total effectiveness of a state in world politics. William Ebenstein defines: National power is more than the sum total of population, raw material and quantitative factors. E.H. Carr has included economic power, military potential and the power of mobilising public opinion in national power. Palmer and Perkins add the quality of diplomacy in the making of national power.
(iv) Foreign Policy:
Sprout and Sprout regard foreign policy as the sub-category of international politics whereas Felix Gross and Russel Fefield consider it and foreign policy as synonymous terms. The sovereign states interact through their foreign policies and, thus, it has a foreign policy in which is is like a charter containing the national interests showing the areas of agreeability and incompatibility.
(v) Instruments :
The states, in order to achieve their aims, use many instrument, as the means. Diplomacy, foreign policy, international trade, economic and military assistance are the instruments for achieving national interests. The states use these instrument according to the circumstance. Some people expressly use some of these instruments in peace times, while others generally use some instruments in times of war.
(vi) Nationalism, Colonialism and Imperialism:
Nationalism is the most significant factor of modern state system. It has changed the classical nature and is responsible for the the shifting of interest from Europe to Asia and Africa. The development of nationalism has affected the old form of imperialism and it is an important aspect . Dollar imperialism and economic imperialism are its new forms.
(vii) Control of International Relations: