Interstate System Future

International Relations The Interstate System Future of the Interstate System

Introduction to Interstate System Future

Today, many of the foundations of the interstate system are being challenged by changes in technology and international norms. The idea of territorial integrity and a nation’s sovereignty-that is, its absolute authority over its own internal matters-are being undermined. Neither ballistic missiles nor television signals respect borders. Television, the mass media, telephones, and the Internet are erasing the boundaries between nations, blending once-distinct cultures together and expanding transnational connections. Mass communication is also drawing worldwide attention to domestic issues that in the past were of little concern to other nations, such as human rights, the status of women, environmental practices, and democracy. In addition, the territories of nations are changing. Some nations are becoming integrated into larger entities-for example, the European Union. Others are fragmenting into smaller units, as did the Soviet Union.

These changes have led to a debate among scholars about whether the interstate system will survive in its current form or evolve into another system that does not yet exist. Some scholars believe nations-with their different cultural identities, boundaries, and governments-are becoming obsolete. They believe economics is becoming the driving force in international relations, encouraging increased cooperation among nations. They believe that cooperation, along with technological changes, will continue to blur the distinction between nations and the importance of national borders. Other scholars think that the interstate system will endure because nations have military force, and military force still determines what happens in the world and always will. Both are right to some extent. The interstate system of nations remains intact, but it is increasingly overlaid with new forces and realities that respect neither the idea of sovereignty nor borders.” (1)

Resources

Notes and References

• Information about Interstate System Future in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia

Guide to Interstate System Future