Session 2: The multipolar world as the cause of problems: do the rising powers spoil

global cooperation? (March 2)

Mandatory readings

Stephen, Matthew D. (2012) Rising Powers and International Institutions: The Foreign Policy
Orientations of India, Brazil, and South Africa, Global Society, 26(3), 289-309.

Hopewell, K. (2015) Different Paths to Power: The Rise of Brazil, India, and China at the
World Trade Organization, Review of International Political Economy 22(2), pp. 311–338.

in total 47 pp.

1) Which of the following possible interests do – in your opinion – represent the most
fundamental priorities of the rising powers at this moment?

- to enhance further their economic development and prosperity

- to manage their insecure position in the international system, primarily by balancing and
weakening the position of the USA
- to increase their influence in world politics
- something else (a priority/priorities that are missing in the suggested options)

2) Do you agree with the following statements:

- the rising powers considerably benefit from the existence of the contemporary global
institutions. Therefore, they support them and want them to continue to exist.

- China, India, and Brazil seek to balance the power positions of the USA and the EU, since
they want to achieve a greater influence and/or are worried about their security. This means
that these two groups of states can hardly continue to cooperate in global institutions.

- the rising powers have an interest in the maintaining of the contemporary institutions.
However, they social, economic, and political systems significantly differ from those of the
Western countries. That is why it is now so difficult to keep the good functioning of the
global institutions – the major states have different domestic systems and it is difficult for
them to agree on the same policies.

3) When we look at the behaviour of the rising powers in global institutions, can we say that
they behave identically? Is it correct to consider them as a homogenous group of countries
that try to achieve the same goals? Do they behave alike?

4) What strategies do the rising powers use to achieve their interests in global institutions?

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5) Are the rising powers really influential in global institutions? In other words, did the
increase in their economic power automatically lead to an increase in their bargaining
influence and in their ability to shape the outcomes of negotiations in those institutions?

6) After taking everything into account, can we say that the current problems in global
cooperation are connected with the rising powers?