History, Power and theory

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1. Choose a country that you currently believe is the new Athens – a rising power in the world today and discuss why you chose this country.

2. Define/discuss the “Westphalian” system that dominates our international order today and where your country fits in that order. Specifically, discuss the importance of sovereign borders to the Westphalian system and how land factors into your country.

3. What are the Realist and Liberal views on international relations (per Ch. 1) and how is your chosen country viewed in the international order?

4. What about Athens in the Peloponnesian wars made it powerful? And, what about your chosen country makes it powerful? You may wish to look at:

a) resources (both physical and cultural)

b) influence

c) alliances

5. As Athens grew and expanded, what happened? Has your country grown, asserted itself? If so, what were/are the consequences for Athens and your chosen country?

6. Chapter 1 ends with a discussion of Just War theory, including its component analyses: 1) Jus ad bellus and 2) Jus in bellow. What is Just War theory and what are the two components used for? Has your country ever been involved in a war(s)? If so, how did they justify it? If not, has your country been invaded? If so, how did Just War theory play out to the citizenry?

7. Finally, legendary diplomat, Henry Kissinger, once said that “As threats change, so does the definition of national security.” What does this mean to you? And, what might it mean for your chosen country?

Sample Solution

History, Power and theory

Athens was the largest and most influential of the Greek city-state. It emerged as the dominant economic power in Greece around the late sixth century BCE. Its power and wealth was further bolstered by the discovery of silver in the neighboring mountains. The Athenians invented democracy. The United States is the new Athens of today. First, the United States has a huge lead by the most important measures of national power. Second, it has the best long-term economic growth prospects among the major powers. Geographically, the United States is a natural economic hub and military fortress. Demographically, America is the only nation that is simultaneously big, young, and highly educated.

The similarities and differences between the Australian and Chinese economies provide an interesting comparison of economic systems throughout the world. They both differ and coincide with each other’s economic growth, environmental sustainability and the role of each of their governments. Since the late 1970’s, china has begun to move from a closed, centrally planned system to a more market-orientated one that plays a major global role, proven by becoming the world’s largest global exporter in 2010. Australia on the other hand, also has an economy that has witnessed many high and low points over the last few decades. Australia has an incredibly prosperous mixed market economy, which defines as an economic system blending elements of market economies with elements of planned economics, free markets with state interventionism, or private enterprise with public enterprise. Its free market is among the first five developed countries of the world, with the four main components being trade, manufacturing, and services and financing. A free market defines as a system in which the prices for goods and services are determined by the open market and by consumers. China on the other hand is governed or ruled by a socialist market economy where the government allows limited free enterprise while still continuing to maintain full control over its resources. Although China is ruled by this system, it has become incredibly successful for trade to and from china. Therefore overall, Australia and China’s differing market systems do and will result in both successful and varying levels of growth and use of resources, the role of government in health-care and education.

China’s mainly socialist market economy has sustained an incredibly high rate of average annual growth in real GDP of 10.1% between 1998 and 2008 and peaked at 14.2% in 2007, however slowed to 9.2% in 2009, due to the impact of the Global Financial Crisis. The Chinese government responded to the GFC by implementing a US$586 billion fiscal stimulus package in November 2008 to maintain a growth target of 8% in 2009-10. The economy therefore recovered in 2010, and growing by 10.4% in 2017, China’s growth was at $23.12 Trillion, the largest in the world, 6.8% greater than in 2016. China’s GDP grew at 6.5% year-over-year in the third quarter of 2018. China’s industrialization and modernisation has been based on ‘driving growth’ through foreign investment and international trade. After the USA, China is the second largest economy in the world measured by the nominal value of its GDP in US dollars and at market exchange rates. In 2016, China’s share of global GDP was 17.8%, share of world population was 19% and share of world exports of goods and services was 10.7%. Furthermore, with rapid economic growth througho

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