Justifications for The State Limits & Possibilities (Essay Sample)
Justifications for the State—Limits & Possibilities
Reasoning with clear ideas and examples in any manner you choose, whether separately or integrated, discuss the limits and possibilities of justification for the State as we know it today. Some organizing questions and themes might include:
a. Are States qua States better at delivering justice and security to their citizens than smaller or larger political units?
b. Are states less prone to abuse of power than local communities or even larger regional units like the EU or ASEAN?
c. As many writers on nationalism have suggested, is the Nation-State idea and practice more war prone than other political units have been in history?
d. Does the State have any greater claim to political legitimacy than other units of governance like villages, large provinces, ethno-religious enclaves, or super-regional alliances like the EU or ASEAN?
e. Drawing on readings discussing the role of the Individual in politics generally, both within and beyond the State, what difference does the individual make to your assessment of justifications for the State? What difference might the State make to the realization of individual agency [freedom]? Why do these questions even matter? One way to think about these questions is to think about two exemplars of Western Civilization, Jesus and Socrates—to what degree do we identify these individuals with the State? Or do we consider them ‘founders’ of something much bigger or more important?
In effect, on what moral, practical, or historical basis would you assess the limits and possibilities of justification for the State as we know it today, and how might notions of the individual can help us think about these limits and possibilities? Please feel free to use biblical and extra-biblical resources to frame or enhance your analysis, since there are substantive biblical issues floating around concepts like the State and the Individual.
Presentation: Module/Week 2 Welcome
Presentation: Steve Smith on Bringing International Relations Theory to Life
Presentation: Structural Realism - International Relations
Presentation: International Relations - Liberal Theory
Presentation: Theory in Action - Constructivist
Article: International Relations - One World, Many Theories
JUSTIFICATIONS FOR THE STATE—LIMITS & POSSIBILITIES
Justifications for The State—Limits & Possibilities
The topic of the justification of the state argues for the sovereignty of the state and its people. Until today, there have been different arguments as to whether states should exist or not. The main argument in the debate has been the source of sovereignty for the people. Whether the state should be the source of power or the government is still a debatable issue. Today, different systems of governance exist, yet there are still conflicts witnessed in different regions of the world. Most of these conflicts arise due to dissatisfaction of the ruled, a clear indication that there is no general consensus on who should govern. This paper argues for the justification of the state, but with some limitations.
In Stephen Walt’s presentation, he explains that people view the world politics in different forms depending on the theory they choose to use to understand world politics. Walt defines a theory as social constructs that people create and use to see the world around them. When arguing on the justification for the state and its limits, everyone has the freedom to choose the type of theory to use in explaining how they view the world. Realism theory, for instance, views political conflicts as a struggle for power. The justification for the state from a realist point of view is that a state should be left to sort it issues. Realism views a state as a sovereign power capable of making decisions and solving its conflicts internally without the intervention of the international bodies like the United Nations. However, even though there is a need to respect and uphold the sovereignty of a state, there is no justification for staying away and watching people killed as politicians fight for power. As such, states are not efficient in solving conflicts.[Walt, M., Stephen. “International Relations: One World, Many Theories.” Foreign Policy, no. 110, (1998): 31]
Unlike the realist, proponents of the liberal theory of international relations view political conflicts as a global issue that can be sorted once the international community intervenes. Liberals view the world as an interconnected system where different leaders and powers can come together to address issues that affects citizens. Liberals justify the intervention of the international organizations such as the United Nations have a duty to intervene and solve the conflicts in case the state does not solve the problem. Liberals are opposed to the sovereignty of the state, especially if it cannot solve the conflict. Syrian war is an example of the war that has devastated the country. This war can only be solved through the international intervention because the state has failed in its role of maintaining peace and ensuring security of the governed.[Vlog #29 - Nations, States, & Nation States.” YouTube, (2012), accessed 21 January 2019]
Sociologists view the government as the relationship between the ruler and the ruled. The state as a sovereign body has the right to control the interests and welfare of its people. However, it is evident that states are prone to abuse of power compared to other international organizations such as the European Union (EU) or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Even though the justification for the state champions for the sovereignty of the state to have control on the type of government they wish to have, one has to take into consideration the possibility of abuse of power by regimes. Political conflicts, revolutions, and civil wars that have been witnessed have been a result of insatiable quest for power.
A nation-state is a country defined by...
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