International System

International System

Introduction

The international system is made up of individual, constituent units and an ordering principle that arranges the structure of those units, together forming a whole toward an outside environment. A third defining characteristic of the international system is the interaction that continuously occurs between the level of the individual units and the overall structural level . This notion, comprising three basic elements (units, structure, and unit-structure interaction), suffices to describe a limited, structural conceptualization of the international system. An alternative definition that also encompasses the connections between the units (units, structure, unit-structure interaction, and unit-unit relations) may be referred to as a broader, relational conceptualization of the international system. The use of the concept, in either version, is justified as soon as the system exhibits properties that individual units do not.

Although there are numerous factors that affect the international system but power has the greatest influence on this system. Therefore, I will be emphasizing on power as an imperative consideration to the international system. Beside, others factors that will be discussed are: environmental, globalization, epidemics, and economy.

Discussion

The history is evident that power has been the major influence in the international system. The international systems and relations depend upon the state power the state power is represent as the economic and the military power. There are some other powers also that influence the international relations. In the political science the power is used as the ability to influence other and act accordingly in the international system. The influence could be of these types: cooperative, coercive, competitive, and attractive. There are the considerations of threat using the power to run the international system. The international systems are mostly depends upon the power. The power is resource and capability of the state that make it significant in the international system.

One of the chief criticisms of structural conceptions of the international system concerns its weak explanation of change or major transformation. According to the most influential account, the international system is anarchic, lacking an institution of central authority, and can only shift to a hierarchical system if functional differentiation among political entities is greatly enhanced and the distribution of capabilities (powers) becomes more even .

That prospect, though, is theoretically implausible. Instead, the law of inertia perpetuates the existing international system, with minor fluctuations on the margins. New members are socialized into the system through learning and mimicking the practices of more ...