International System Structure Analysis

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The international system structure refers to the distribution of capabilities or power among states. It may be bipolar, multipolar or unipolar. The collapse of the Soviet Union caused the collapse of the bipolar world and little thought had gone into the implications of unipolarity. There are consensuses among many realists that unipolarity will not last and the world will become increasingly multipolar (Paul R. Viotti & Mark V. Kauppi , 2010). Though the present framework could be named unipolar, numerous local forces are financially solid. In this way, the present framework might be re-imagined as general unipolar with one superpower, however with a multipolar provincial structure Even though the US now holds a predominant position, a…show more content…
TYPES OF POLARITY In international relations, polarity is the nature of the international system at any given time. It is a way in which power is distributed within the international system, totally dependent on the influence of states in a region or globally. Polarity also refers to the number of actors and the distribution of capabilities among them, and thus connotes the structure of the system. These systems are distinguished by different powers: bipolarity, multipolarity, and unipolarity. A. BIPOLARITY This refers to the distribution of power in which two states have the majority of cultural, economic and military influence either regionally or internationally. These countries are often considered to develop as spheres of influence and become the organization axes of the international system (Snow, 2000). The bipolar system of power can be deemed to extend to much larger systems. These include alliances and organizations, although they are not considered nation – states. A system can be power bipolar when its capabilities are so distributed that two dominant hostile powers are more powerful than other actors to a degree that gives the dominant powers autonomy in self-defense (Vasquez, 1999) . B.…show more content…
Unipolarity and the World Legal Order Classical realists and positivists have accepted that international law required a balance of power to function. As a result, international law may need to adjust to the new polarity if it is to remain functional (David Armstrong, Theo Farrell, Helene Lambert , 2007). Power defines national interest. The powerful do as they want and the weak must endure. The world today is not seen as a world of equals. Power plays a role in how states shape legal regimes on human rights, international crimes, trade, the environment and how states operate within them. As hegemony, the US has appeared to show slight regard for international law. It has opposed major multilateral treaties on land mines, nuclear testing, climate change, the ICC and many others. However the US is legally entitled not to consent to these treaties, and this makes it to be seen as a lawless state. More so especially because of the controversial invasion of Iraq in 2003, where it had not gotten a clear mandate from the United Nations Security Council (David Armstrong, Theo Farrell, Helene Lambert ,
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