Global Politics

• role of ICC and ICJ

  The ICC investigates and punishes people for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes whereas the ICJ settles disputes between countries.
• difference between ICC and ICJ

  The ICJ was created with the formation of the United Nations and as part of the United Nations whereas the ICC was created in 2002 with Security Council members able to refer cases.
• ICC and ICJ membership

  The ICC is made up of approximately 123 countries and the ICJ is made up of all members of the United Nations.
• The Security Council often deals with human rights issues and has the ability to sanction military action and economic embargoes
• the United Nations was formed in 1945 with varied aims and objectives from peace and security to economic and social development whilst NATO was formed in 1949 with a primary security focus
• NATO was created as a regional body covering North America and part of Europe (30 members)- the UN has almost global membership (193 members)
• Decision making in the United Nations Security Council is subject to a complex process with some member states holding the power of veto. NATO voting is based on consensus
• The European Union claims that it ‘pools sovereignty’ and to many such as UKIP/Brexit Party in the UK this must represent an erosion of state sovereignty as do the critics of the trade relationship in NAFTA who call for the US to leave
• non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

  any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group organised on a local, national or international level. NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizens’ concerns to governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information.
• Security Council


  the United Nations' most powerful body, with primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
• Dependency theory


  Emphasises structural imbalances within capitalism that impose dependency on poorer states.
• hard power


  Hard power is the use of military and economic means to influence the behaviour or interests of other political bodies.
• Soft power


  The ability to attract and co-opt and to shape the preferences of others through appeal and attraction.
• Polarity


  Describes the nature of the international system at any given time in terms of how power is distributed.
• Unipolarity


  International system in which there is one dominant pole.
• Multipolarity


  International system revolving around three or more poles.
• Supranationalism


  Refers to a large amount of power given to an authority, which, in theory, is placed higher than the state.
• Intergovernmentalism


  Interaction among states based on sovereign independence.
• UN Security council has 5 permanent members and 10-non permanent members
• UN security council requires 2/3 majority to pass resolutions
• UN general assembly a 2/3 majority is needed to adopt a resolution
• UNGA 2024 budget- $3.3 billion (uk spend 200bil on NHS and US spend 800bil on military so this is very little)
• UNSC decisions ARE binding UNGA recommendations ARE NOT binding
• 2012 ASEAN published their own declaration of Human Rights
• only 72 countries have signed the optional clause making them subject to ICJ rulings
• since the cold war the UN has attempted to end 16 civil wars, on 11 of these the mandate was successfully executed with none of these countries returning to civil war
• In Sierra Leone UN peacekeepers helped disarm 75,000 combatants