CPW4U World Politics                                                                                 Name: Yiannis Iordanous

 

Thesis Formation                              

 

Achievement: Thinking Evaluation

 

 Your Chosen Topic: Can collective security work?

 

1. Write down the thesis statement (answer 1,2,3) and supporting evidence.

 

Thesis Statement:

 

Collective security cannot work, because the fundamental purpose of collective security (multilateralism) is being undermined by the United States’ hegemonic power, the European Union’s creation of a defense system, and a lack of cooperation from middle powers that are emerging as nuclear threats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evidence 2: The European Union is trying to gain a foothold as a major power in the world by creating a unified Europe. This involves common markets, free trade and interdependent military systems. However, this makes collective security units (such as NATO), almost superfluous. In addition, the nation state is being put at risk, as many European nations may be strong as a part of the Union, but individually they can no longer sustain themselves.

  • “A European foreign minister remarked that all his EU colleagues regarded there most serious foreign relations problem as that of dealing with the US” (Pfaff).
  • “It’s appalling that America has put us in this position over Iraq, but in the end we’ll have to go along with them because the consequences of a breach with the US would be even worse” (Foreign Affairs 09/19/02).
  • Under the Maastricht treaty, EU members must: ensure their national debt does not exceed 60 percent of GDP; must keep inflation rates with 1.5% of the average of the lowest three members (Sens, 253).

Evidence 1: The United States’ position of hegemony allows the nation to act unilaterally when it deems the situation appropriate. This causes tension at the international level, and makes one question the viability or usefulness of collective security organs.

  • They do not abide by international law unless it is for their own benefit (Global Policy forum).
  • “The difficult task of rebuilding Iraq can be dumped in the lap of something called the ‘international community’” (Foreign Affairs, 02/20/02).
  • “The United States… possess unlimited authority and is subject to no external control to carry out military interventions (Pfaff)
  • “Every village needs a police man, and the only one on hand may be America” (Foreign Affairs, 02/20/02).  

 

Evidence 3: Emerging nuclear states, and rogue nations, are causing discourse at an international scale. Their lack of cooperation (with other nations) makes them a threat to international security. Nations like North Korea, Syria and most recently Iraq, are all potential threats to international threats. Not only do they threaten other nations (i.e. North Korea and its nuclear arsenal), but also they create a rift between other nations that are trying to deal with the problem.

  • “Its China’s responsibility, not ours, to keep North Korea from going nuclear” (Daalder). Countries are pointing the blame at each other
  • In North Korea, an estimated 2 million people have died from famine since 1994 (Daalder).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Write down 3 counter-arguments that you will be refuting in your essay:

 

1) Some argue that collective security units allow for cooperation between nations rather than creating tension. They believe that if nations work together, war can be avoided.

 

2) Individuals may believe that all the EU members are better off now that they are part of the union. They may also claim that the benefits are shared equally, and that the smaller states are not a risk of losing their sovereignty.

 

3) Many believe that multilateral action is the only way to stop rogue nations from threatening the world, and that unilateral action (like the actions of the US in Iraq) is uncalled for.

 

 

3. Bibliography

(see essay outline)