The State in international politics

What is the role of the State in international politics?

Introduction

Today, I want to speak to you about the State in international politics. As I commented on another occasion, international politics has to do with power relations on the world stage.

It’s easy to understand that politics is about how society organizes its power relations in the domestic realm and how societies organize their mutual relations in the international field. However, the State deserves a more detailed analysis of what it does and how it works in this sphere. That’s the topic of the following discussion to clarify how relevant it is and why we must pay attention to it.

The international system

We have to start this discussion by admitting that the State doesn’t live in the air. It is part of a broader political context in which there are more States. This aspect is fundamental because the Westphalian order that has constituted the current State system represents a critical shift. It contributed to putting an end to the universal aspirations of imperial organizations. In this way, every State is equal in legal terms because they all are sovereign. That means they don’t recognize any superior authority in their respective realms. They have the exclusive right to rule their territories without any interference from abroad. We shouldn’t downplay or overlook this aspect of the international stage because it determines how the State operates on it.

As a result of the Westphalian order’s expansion, we see how the world organizes in multiple States, that is, sovereign and territorial entities. They don’t recognize any superior authority, which means the global order is essentially anarchical. For this reason, States develop their particular relations according to their goals and needs because no one regulates them. Does it mean they can do whatever they want? No.

Geopolitical considerations

That leads us to consider the role of the State in international politics. We know the general background in which it operates. Now, let’s see how it works in this sphere.

Because of the territoriality of States, we have to consider them a kind of “geopower.” They exercise their power in a specific area delimited by borders. That means they limit each other in their respective territories. In this respect, I have to recall that frontier comes from the Latin word “frǒns,” which means battlefront. So, borders have been originally the battlefront of countries, a troubled area in which States develop hostilities in their struggle for power and space.

We would have to consider States in geopolitical terms, but it would take much time to discuss it as it deserves. However, I can’t overlook this dimension of States insofar as it turns out to be decisive in many aspects when we address international politics and how it works. In any case, what I want to stress is the role that geopolitical factors play in international politics to understand it.

States’ power limits States. The expansion of any power stops where it finds enough resistance from other power. That leads us to consider what the source of power is in international politics. We have to speak about different geopolitical factors that play a crucial role in the formation of national power. That is the case of territorial extension of the State, geographical location, resources available, namely, raw materials, population, and so on, besides other elements, such as distances, borders shape, and so forth.

Then, we can claim that land is a source of power for States. By this, I mean political power, but also military, economic, demographic, financial, and so on. What matters here is that the territory influences the national capabilities of the State and the formation of the national power. It determines the State potential on the global stage, and the role it can play in a context of power relations organized around a world hierarchy of States.

I know this may sound deterministic insofar as it seems that geography decides the place a State occupies in such a global hierarchy. However, that’s not the case because we have to consider other geopolitical factors that are as important as those I’ve already mentioned. I refer to the territorial organization. That means how the State organizes the spaces to extract those resources it needs to support its foreign policy and match those challenges posed by its rivals. No matter if you have a huge potential in economic and human terms if you can’t organize the resources available in your territory to transform them in power. Your potential might be overwhelming, but if you don’t have the means to mobilize resources in a comprehensive way to strengthen your position on the global stage, that’s all useless. So, the political organization and institutions play an essential role in all of this, including human choices to organize and increase the State’s internal capabilities.

The way international politics works and the role of the State

At this point, we can say something else with more detail about the dynamic of international politics. In this regard, States are competitors because they all try to survive in a hostile environment. As a result, they fight each other to increase their relative power to stay safe. Their behavior responds to their national interest, namely, their security. That is the main consequence of an anarchic world stage. So, every State puts its survival first as their most important priority. International politics is a permanent struggle for power to ensure your security. As a result, every State tries to concentrate as much power as possible because it is never enough.

As we’ve seen, the State’s role in international politics is central because it articulates power relations with other States. In this way, the State has to live with other States that seek their national interest. They look for their well-being, and they try by all means to survive. So, States organize interactions through troubled relations in this sphere by articulating power relations according to their particular national capabilities. Therefore, national power determines these relations and how international politics evolve in history.

All of this explains rivalries, but also wars, arms races, and other conflicts on the international stage. So, international politics articulates these troubled relations between States and reveals the hostile atmosphere that prevails in this realm.

Question of the day

Question of the day! Do you think international politics could be more peaceful? If so, explain how. Post your opinion in the comments section below, and I’ll check it out.

Bibliography used:

Strayer, Joseph, On the Medieval Origins of the Modern State

Strayer, Joseph, Medieval Statecraft and the Perspectives of History

Gilbert, Felix (ed.), The Historical Essays of Otto Hintze

Tilly, Charles, Coercion, Capital, and European States: AD 990-1992

Mann, Michael, The Sources of Social Power

Poggi, Gianfranco, The Development of the Modern State

Anderson, M. S., The Origins of the Modern European State System 1494-1618

Spruyt, Hendrik, The Sovereign State and its Competitors

Le Goff, Jacques, La Baja Edad Media

Giddens, Anthony, The Nation-State and violence

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