A BLEAK OR BRIGHT FUTURE
The theories of International Relations are used to explain and predict the issues that the world faces in foreign policy. From liberalism to postcolonialism, these theories all have their own reasoning for why the world has peaks and pitfalls which may be intersected or polar opposites. Realism explains the importance of national security and how states are the main actors in foreign relations. Liberalism describes foreign policy as interdependence amongst countries and how there is no hierarchy to the priorities of each country. To understand these theories is to create explanations for why foreign policy is ever changing across the board. In continuation with this idea, Realism explains the history of issues such as China, COVID, Climate, and Populism, while Liberalism explains the path forward.
The rise of China has led to tremendous economic prosperity for its country, while its foreign policy continues to stagnate it with other countries. China’s rise to power can be tied to their manufacturing prowess on account of the cheap labor force, access to the world market and their relations with the West. Their seemingly communist values put them farther and farther away from creating strong and mutually beneficial bonds and instead forced tense and tactical partnerships. Realism can explain China’s actions towards other countries, especially the West in the way that they always put their own interests first. “Mearshimer’s theory of offensive realism predicts intense security competition between China and the threat of war among these competing powers.” China has allied itself with countries like Russia, while having a hard stance with its business counterparts. The relationship between the West and China has become so symbiotic that if one falls economically, it will debilitate the other. This tension is not necessarily the right way forward. China may relentlessly seek power but this doesn't mean that there can’t be change. Promoting interdependence is not only in China’s economic best interest but also its opening up the political agenda could allow for greater peace and prosperity across the world. China could implement multiple channels of transactions that would not only allow China to let go of their disdain for countries not mirroring their values, but also allowing other countries to give China a chance to make things better (an actual Belt and Road Initiative - not an exploitative one). If China looked at things from a liberal perspective, they could move away from their shuttered lens of the anarchic world.
Moving from a country's image in international theory to a global issue, the road toward solving climate change has always been pebbled with a lack of international cooperation and countries solely focusing inward. Throughout history, the world has turned against one another when it comes to trying to fix climate change. Many countries have taken a realist approach to taking initiatives such as reducing carbon emissions or plastic use. “international organizations lack the authority to enforce rules on wayward nations. At the climate conference in Poland, several major countries will admit to missing the targets they agreed to at the Paris conference three years ago.” Countries like the US or more developed countries have based their actions solely on their national interests but continued to push the movement of democracy and fixing climate change amongst lesser developed nations. Letting go of things like corporations and factories that contribute toward pollution would only contribute to a loss of power for countries like China or the US, which is why Realism explains their apprehension against collaboration. The world’s actions are not reflecting their pledges to move the needle of climate change to a better place. Although countries can have their own national interest, there should be some sort of implementation of a global interest that countries are truly working toward. Promoting climate change through countries working together and holding themselves accountable is the only way to obtain a greener future and actually solving the crisis.
In a more recent issue that the world has been facing, COVID-19 has become a global pandemic that took the world months to rally countries together to address, but galvanized our ability to address it effectively when they finally did. During the pandemic, many countries were quick to turn inward on their health security and point fingers at other countries who were seemingly at fault. This caused xenophobia amongst the people in these countries (Asian hate) and shut the world down because of this virus. Realism can explain this reaction in a way that allows people to understand why we didn’t come together when people were in need of help. “World politics always create unintended consequences and rarely deliver the promised results. It also reminds [us] that even allies fear unchecked power.” This unchecked power allowed for developed countries to get the resources they needed to survive the pandemic, but the countries who couldn't afford it were left in the dust. There needed to be more interdependence from the start of this event, rather than towards the end. “Intense relationships of mutual influence may exist but force is no more considered an appropriate way of achieving other goals such as economic and ecological welfare.” It was only when countries started rallying together by innovating and collaborating through private enterprises that a vaccine became a possibility to go on the offensive and deal with COVID-19. Liberalism explains the way we were able to get past the pandemic and promote interdependence and non-militaristic power to help combat the effects of COVID-19.
Although Populism may not start with a ‘C’, it has taken center stage in international politics through national leaders turning toward a populist viewpoint and not taking into account what that truly means for globalization. Isolationism is reflected in the ideals of Realism through security dilemmas and balances of power. Throughout history, immigration has turned into a topic of controversy and tension. Developed countries around the world have taken stands against the influx of refugees and immigrants coming into their countries and promoted putting their citizens first. “Immigration policy, including openness to refugees, has become a matter of intense political debate in many countries in Europe, in Japan, and in the United States, the result of real or imagined consequences for the potential host country’s security, employment, and identity.” This surge of immigrants has caused a rise in isolationist tendencies in countries like the US whose borders bring in more than 1 million immigrants per year. This contributes toward the idea that globalization is bad, leading countries like Italy or the US to turn toward a populist foreign policy. From a Liberalist perspective, in order to move past the rise of populism and more isolationist tendencies, the world needs to promote collaboration and interdependence. Although populism may seem like the way the world is turning, it doesn't necessarily mean that this is the right step forward for the future of collaboration. Immigration may seem like it takes away the jobs of people already living in these countries, but in reality it promotes advancement in and out of the country they reside. With the promotion of free trade and globalization, countries are able to move away from their isolationist perspectives and accelerate their innovation of new technological and economical advancements.
Realism is the crudest way to explain the issues going on in the world today. The history of China’s tension with democratic countries, the tension between countries to solve COVID-19, the inability for international checks and balances to promote climate change, and the rise of populism in countries across the world allow us to utilize Realism and understand why these issues are occurring. The one thing Realism is unable to do is provide a place to move towards in hopes for a better future. An anarchic world may be the reality but it doesn't have to be. Liberalism is able to provide more fidelity to the idea that although the world is flawed, it doesn't mean that there can’t be integration to help promote prosperity.