How does the State relate to my topic?

            The People’s Republic of China’s increasing sphere of influence sets the foundation for conflict between itself and the United States.  China’s dominance of East Asia poses a threat to the thriving capitalist democracies of Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea.  China’s continued growth is a result of the state wanting to increase its control (and thus its power).  Realists would argue that China desires this power so they can compete with the United States as a hegemon.  China’s moves are influenced by their communist tendencies and under international restraints.  In response to China’s growing power, constructivists believe that the United States must maintain its image as the leader of democracy and capitalism.  Therefore, just like in the Cold War, the United States cannot allow this region to be dominated by a communist coalition. 

            While these theories mentioned above focus on the pursuit for power, radicalism would denounce such ideas and instead accuse the state as being an agent for big business.  Radicalists recognize the value of the East Asian region in terms of production and a developing market.  Therefore, the impending conflict between the United States and China is really a business struggle between multinational corporations and their executives. 

            Whether it is the state acting autonomously or the bourgeoisie working behind the curtain, the tension between these two superpowers is a present problem.  Even though the United States and China have similar economic interests, their political backgrounds are slowly creating a neo-Cold War atmosphere. 

                     Writing for the $$$$,

                             Economic Administrator, Nora Spellissy PhD. and

                             Financial Department Chair, Chris Myers PhD.

How does the International System relate to my topic?

Liberalism / Neoliberal Institutionalism

            The liberal perspective of the Chinese sphere of influence is that there are many components dictating what occurs between China and the surrounding regions.  There are the interests of the general public, multinational corporations, and bureaucratic entities that all play into the process of how the Chinese sphere of influence is structured and how the United States reacts to it. 

            Another liberal conception of the international system is that China and the United States recognize that they share common interests.  These interests prevent either nation from taking extreme measures to strengthen themselves. 

            Neoliberal institutionalism is similar to realist thought in that they believe that the international system is anarchic by nature.  However it remains a liberal view in the sense that they conclude that cooperation is the final result. 

 

Realism / Neorealism

            The realist perspective on the international system is that the state is the primary actor in an anarchic global setting.  As the Chinese sphere of influence continues to grow in the world due to its huge economic success, the international community is seeing a gradual shift in the balance of power.  Right now, the world is currently a unipolar system with the United States as a relatively unchallenged hegemon.    However, as China continues to grow, it is slowly shifting towards a bipolar system, in which there are two great powers.  A realists would also point out that the sphere of influence is determined by the interactions of these two states. 

 

Radicalism / Dependency Theory

            According to radicalism, stratification, the uneven distribution of resources, is how the international system is defined.  The United States and China have far more resources than any nations in the vicinity.  And while nations like Japan and Taiwan are economically successful, they are at the mercy of political and militaristic power.  Therefore, these second tier nations are caught in the middle of an economic struggle between China and America. 

         Keep Marching On,

                 Red Army Commander Myers and Head Chairman Spellissy

How does IR theory relate to our topic?

Liberalism

            The Chinese sphere of influence could have arguably stabilized the region, replacing the importance of military dominance with an economic focus.  The major nations in this area have not fought each other since the already mentions confrontations of the Cold War and have become interdependent on China’s economy.  For the United States, while some of their political ideals are contradicted by cooperating with the People’s Republic of China, doing so brings economic benefits to America. 

Realism

            From a traditional realist’s point of view, if communist regimes are threatening democracies and capitalism in East Asia, the United States (presumably a hegemon), should use its force to stabilize the region, making it safer for nations like Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea.  However, the United States’ reluctance to involve itself in East Asia shows that China’s growing economic power is quickly deteriorating America’s position as a hegemon.  Realists would suggest that there is a slow shift in the world’s balance of power, changing the international structure from a unipolar system to a bipolar one. 

Radicalism

            The People’s Republic of China is self-identified as a communist nation.  However, they are increasingly moving towards a more capitalistic economy.  This is reminiscent of the Cold War; however, unlike the USSR before it, China has not fallen victim to the inherent economic contradictions that communism poses, allowing it to thrive in a capitalistic community.  This hybrid-communist political system and capitalistic economy has taken radical ideas and further evolved them. 

     Respectfully,

             Comrade Myers and Comrade Spellissy

Semester Long Blog Assignment (so nothing’s repeated)

            The Chinese sphere of influence has become such a force in East Asia that it can no longer be ignored by the United States.  While the People’s Republic of China has not traditionally used its military force against other nations, it uses its vast economy to pressure neighboring nations to follow their own agendas.  During the Cold War, the United States’ policy of containment actively forced America to deploy its forces in the fight against communism.  Examples of this include the Korean and Vietnam wars. 

            In those conflicts, the People’s Republic of China played an important role in assisting the communist forces against the democratic and capitalistic regimes.  Today, even though the Cold War is over, Chinese influence in these regions still remains and poses a threat to liberal governments.  Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea are flourishing democracies with powerful economies under the threat of communist confrontation.  How does the Chinese sphere of influence affect the United States’ foreign policies regarding the protection of its political ideals in East Asia?  

          Long Live McCarthyism

               Chris Myers and Nora Spellissy