After the First and the Second World Wars, many alliances and treaties were signed by different countries to not only safeguard global peace but also to suppress aggression that can lead to an outbreak of another war. Several international institutions were also formed to ensure that the interest of their members is safeguarded at all times and that any form of threat to their members is effectively dealt with in a manner that does not cause war. However, several gaps exist between sovereign states and institutions that can disrupt global peace. The major gaps identified by the authors of the course textbook include increased rearmament among states, conflict of interest between domestic interests and international interests, and lack of ability by the international institutions to act independently from their member states (Lake & Schultz, 2010). This paper analyzes how these gaps contribute to conflict and possible solutions, including forming alliances, collective security, and regional groupings.
Firstly, rearmament has been one of the significant objectives of many states. Sovereign countries have been investing heavily to increase their military capabilities to have the ability to defend themselves from the enemy. Policies of militarization tend to create increased tensions between rival states as they try to outdo each other’s military capabilities. Countries that succeed in increasing their military often use their capabilities to threaten and invade other countries for territorial expansion and other interests. Secondly, there exists conflict between domestic and international interests. Member states of international institutions, such as the United Nations, tend to pursue their domestic interest over the global interest being championed by international institutions. For instance, despite being a member of the UN Security Council, China still seeks its interest in invading Taiwan. Such aggressive acts compromise international law and undermine the objectives of the United Nations on the promotion of peace.
Rearmament is an active act carried out by many developed sovereign states despite the growing call by the United Nations to discourage member states from engaging in policies that can disrupt global peace and stability. Promoting domestic interest over international interest tends to create a hostile environment that can easily trigger conflict. Besides, the lack of an independent security force for the international institutions makes it hard for them to act independently if some of their members violate the institutions’ principles. These problems could be irresolvable when non-member states countries act aggressively, thus prompting other countries to respond to the potential threat of war. Additionally, most countries tend to act according to public opinion, keeping domestic interest first.
Addressing these gaps requires complete international cooperation among all the sovereign states in the world. Firstly, there is a need to form alliances among nations with common interests. Alliances can effectively protect countries that are militarily weak from being threatened and invaded by those that have military might. Blocks can also serve as a discouragement for rearmament by laying principles that advocate for global peace. Secondly, there is a need to form regional groupings that will serve the interest of the member states. Such groups will be essential in promoting the domestic interests of their member states at the international level. As a result, this will reduce the conflict of interest between domestic and global needs. Lastly, forming collective security makes it easier for international institutions to intervene in conflicted areas. It will also promote transparency between sovereign states and institutions by creating a sense of responsibility by member states towards promoting peace and stability. Conclusively, establishing partnerships that are guided by principles that member states are obliged to follow will guarantee transparency between institutions and sovereign states.
Reference
Lake, D., & Schultz, K. (2010). World politics interest, interactions, and institutions (5th ed.). W.W. Norton & Company.