Global Governance: Political & Economic (Edexcel A Level Politics): Flashcards

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, settling legal disputes between states.

Because it has no enforcement powers of its own, the ICJ must rely on the UN Security Council to enforce its judgements.

Only states, not individuals, can be parties to cases before the International Court of Justice.

Collective security is the principle that nation states united together are more secure than individual nation states on their own.

Article 5 states that an attack against one member is an attack against all.

NATO, like the UN, originated shortly after World War 2 in 1949.

Twelve European and North American states founded NATO in 1949.

True.

NATO began with twelve states who felt threatened by Soviet Russia near the start of the Cold War.

NATO has expanded over the years and now has a membership of 32 nations.

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 prompted NATO's purpose to change.

All NATO member states are expected to spend 2% of their GDP on defence.

False.

NATO has no standing army because member states voluntarily contribute soldiers and equipment when required.

Because the UN has no armed forces of its own, it relied on member states and NATO to enforce its Security Council resolution in Libya.

The United States dominates NATO in terms of financial contributions.

The note concludes that the 2011 intervention failed the people of Libya, leaving the country without effective leadership and in extreme instability.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an intergovernmental organisation established at the close of World War 2 to secure global financial stability.

IMF loans come with conditions requiring the state to restructure its economy and focus on reducing debt and spending cuts.

191 nation states are members of the IMF, contributing financially based on their economic capacity.

True.

States contribute according to their economic capacity, and higher contributors gain more voting power.

Repeated reliance on IMF loans can leave a state deeply and increasingly indebted, as with Argentina, the IMF's most indebted country after multiple loans including a recent $20 billion loan.

The World Bank provides loans and policy advice to nation states and was established at the close of World War 2 to end extreme poverty.

Besides loans, the World Bank provides policy advice to nation states to help them develop economically and socially.

189 nation-state members work together in the World Bank to help countries develop economically and socially.

False.

Voting and decision-making power in the World Bank are determined by a state's wealth.

Critics argue that the loan conditions are harsh and infringe upon state sovereignty.

The World Bank emphasises sustainable development, often funding projects that promote green technology.

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is an intergovernmental organisation that promotes stronger trade relations and free trade between states to strengthen the global economy.

The WTO was established in 1995, following the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).

The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) preceded the WTO.

True.

The WTO offers a formal dispute settlement mechanism that helps prevent trade wars.

The G7 is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1975 whose leaders meet annually to discuss economic, political and security issues.

Russia joined from 1998 to 2014, which is why the group is sometimes called the G8.

False.

G7 decisions are not legally binding on member states.

The G7's small size allows for informal discussion and quick coordination between some of the world's most powerful states.

The G20 is an intergovernmental organisation established in 2009 that brings together leaders and finance ministers from developed and emerging economies to strengthen economic policies and reform financial institutions.

The G20 was established following the global financial crisis of 2008.

The G20 is more representative because it includes major developed and emerging economies, not only established Western powers.

The G20 is criticised because its decisions rely on voluntary cooperation and are not binding.

The global north-south divide is a way of examining patterns of social, economic and political inequality, generalising that most wealthier states lie in the northern hemisphere.

The Brandt Line divides the global north from the global south.

A core state is economically developed, technologically advanced and exploitative, such as the USA or the United Kingdom.

China, India and Brazil are classed as semi-periphery states.

In world-systems theory, periphery states are less economically developed and provide raw materials and cheap labour.

Dependency theory holds that globalisation exploits periphery states and that structural change to global governance is the best pathway to development and poverty reduction.

Reliance on exporting one or two raw materials leaves periphery states vulnerable to sudden falls in demand, as shown when collapsing demand for natural diamonds, 80% of Botswana's exports, triggered an economic crisis.

True.

Living on less than US$3 a day is used as a threshold for extreme poverty.

Adam Smith argued that free markets lead to improved productivity, innovation and wealth.

Structural theory proposes that poverty and lack of development stem from a need for structural change to release periphery states from their subordinate relationship with core states.

They must develop their own manufacturing industry and infrastructure, moving away from supplying raw materials and challenging existing global economic structures.

Neo-classical growth theory explains that a steady economic growth rate depends on labour, capital and technology.

Civil society is a broad term covering groups of people or organisations who unite because they share a common goal and ideas about the action needed to improve society.

Under the UN Charter, the UN Security Council's primary purpose is to maintain peace and global security.

A non-state actor is any group or organisation that works independently from government control but plays some kind of role in global politics.

The permanent members' repeated use of their veto power prevented the UN Security Council from ending the 2023 Israel-Gaza conflict.

True.

A resolution passes with at least nine votes provided no permanent member exercises its veto.

António Guterres described the Security Council as an 'outdated, unfair and ineffective' system that damaged the reputation and trust of the United Nations.

Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) go beyond simply loaning money to states, often requiring them to implement particular policies, and have left many developing countries with enormous debt.

In 2025, UNCTAD found that 3.4 billion people live in countries that spend more on debt-interest payments than on health or education.

Non-state actors such as Greenpeace use protests, media campaigns and legal action to pressure governments and multinational companies over global issues like climate change.

False.

Greenpeace has no formal decision-making power, so its influence depends on public support and media attention.

A social movement is an organised effort by a group of people who campaign collectively to bring about social or political change, often through protest, activism or public pressure.

A non-governmental organisation (NGO) is a group that works independently from the government to help people or improve society, often by providing aid or campaigning for change.