Assignment Example on Power, Legitimacy, and Ideology

Explain WHICH endeavor is MORE important, in your opinion, for improving the international system: establishing more legitimacy regarding environmental protection OR democratic promotion?

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

The international system comprises the global constellation of countries and how these countries relate with each other in the international arena such as trade, and development programs. Establishing more legitimacy regarding democratic promotion is more important for improving the global system because of the following reasons.

First, democracy enhances peace among various countries. According to Smith (2012), the states with democratic governance are less likely to wage war against each other because democracy promotes peace. Moreover, democracy never fosters terrorism. Once there is peace among countries, there comes a host of inevitable benefits tied to it such as prosperous trade between various countries (Simon, 2011). The international trade enables different countries to interact with each other and develop strong relationships with each other through frequent interactions and also through the formation of the international trade blocs. Countries thus become excellent partners in the global trade; this promotes favorable social conditions at the international level. As a result, countries develop close relationships which enables them to enjoy peaceful relations (Kupchan, C. A. 2012).

Additionally, democracy plays a crucial role in the promotion of sustainable development among the countries that have embraced it. Armstrong (2005), observes that democracy also brings such great benefits as promoting free and fair elections in the democratic countries, providing independence for the media which consequently encourages the human rights of speech across the borders (Kupchan, C. A. 2012). Moreover, democratic promotion enhances the international accountability, sound governance, and respect for the human rights, peaceful and stable democratic transitions which are the critical components for the sustainable global economic growth. Furthermore, democratic promotion not only enhances such fundamental international values as human rights but also promotes the development of more harmonious, prosperous, stable, secure, and sustainable international arena where all countries can advance their social or economic interests (Simon, 2011).

Explain why it IS or IS NOT relevant regarding power, legitimacy, and ideology if the United States slips out of the top spot regarding economic power in global rankings over the next generation.

Regarding power, legitimacy, and ideology, it is relevant that the United States slips out of the top spot regarding economic power in the global rankings over the next generation. Considering the current situation in the United States, it is clear that the levels of child poverty are worse than those of other countries such as Lithuania, Greece, Poland or Estonia (Simon, 2011). In addition to that, the median wealth of the American adults ranks 27th globally, making it come behind countries such as Ireland, Taiwan, and Cyprus. When the United States is rated by life satisfaction, it still does not lead, yet it ranks 12th coming behind countries like Israel, Australia, and Sweden (Kupchan, C. A. 2012).

Considering the overall condition of the United States, it's per capita wealth, education, and health measures, they all portray such lower levels than expected for an intensively industrialized nation. According to Simon (2011), metrics of well-being, perceptions of corruption costs and quality of essential services such as health and education are sliding at a very faster rate. The rising inequality in the American income and wealth hinders the economic growth of the United States and may likely cause acute instability and as a result, direct the American global economic power on a downward trajectory (Kupchan, C. A. 2012). Moreover, the United States seems to be financially at risk, spending huge funds on military while maintaining the ill-prepared technology. Furthermore, it also lacks the sophisticated dynamism before its influential competitors (Simon, 2011). Considering the income inequality, the United States ranks fourth globally together with Mexico, Chile, and Turkey. Due to this inequality, the future global economic position for the United States is at risk of great depreciation which can easily make the United States slip out of the top spot regarding economic power in global rankings over the next generation.

References

Armstrong, D., Farrell, T. & Maiguashca, B. (2005). Force and Legitimacy in World Politics. Cambridge University Press.

Falk, R., Juergensmeyer, M., Popoyski, V. (2012). Legality and Legitimacy in Global Affairs. Oxford University Press.

Kupchan, C. A. (2012). No One's World: The West, the Rising Rest, and the Coming Global Turn. Oxford University Press.

Simon, A., McGraw, J., & Lauchengco, D. (2011). The Sovereignty Solution: A Common Sense Approach to Global Security. Naval Institute Press.

Smith, M. A. (2012). Power in the changing global order. Polity Press.