What Is the Relationship Between Politics and Globalization? – Sun Jiayi

Summary of the Reading

Based on my own understanding, the reading discusses the relationship between politics and globalization as something more complicated than a simple replacement of the nation-state. To be honest, some of the theoretical explanations were difficult for me to fully understand. However, my overall impression is that globalization does not mean the end of politics or the disappearance of states. Instead, it changes the way politics works and the space in which political decisions are made.

The author argues that political power has not vanished, but is now spread across different levels. Besides national governments, there are also international organizations such as the United Nations and the European Union, as well as regional and local actors. I may not fully grasp all the details, but it seems that politics today operates on multiple levels at the same time, rather than being limited within national borders.

The reading also criticizes the idea that globalization will naturally lead to a single world government or make states completely powerless. On the contrary, states are still important actors. However, they now have to deal with global issues like climate change and cybersecurity, and they are more constrained by international rules and institutions. In this sense, state sovereignty appears to be changing rather than disappearing. It is no longer only about full control, but also about cooperation and negotiation with other actors.

In addition, the reading points out that political globalization is not limited to governments. Non-state actors such as NGOs, multinational corporations, and advocacy groups also play a role. Concepts like human rights and environmental protection have become global discussions, and they can influence national policies. Although I cannot fully explain all these processes in theory, the reading helped me realize that politics today involves many different actors beyond the state.

Reflection

One part of the reading that challenged my previous thinking is the idea that globalization does not simply weaken the nation-state. Before this class, I tended to see globalization and the state as being in opposition to each other. I assumed that if globalization became stronger, states would automatically lose importance. The reading suggests that this view is too simple. States often adjust their strategies and sometimes even benefit from globalization, for example by participating in international agreements.

At the same time, this argument also made me feel uncertain. While the reading explains that political power is being redistributed, I am not sure whether this redistribution is fair in reality. I felt especially uncomfortable when thinking about global norms such as human rights and free trade. These norms are often presented as universal and progressive, but I began to wonder who actually defines them and whose interests they mainly reflect.

Another issue that confused me is the question of equality between states. In theory, all states are equal in international organizations, but in practice, powerful countries seem to have much more influence. Small or developing countries may formally participate in rule-making, but their voices may not carry the same weight. This made me question whether political globalization really reduces inequality, or whether it sometimes reinforces existing power structures.

 Question for Discussion

Based on this reading, the question I find most difficult and important is the following: How democratic and inclusive is the rule-making process in political globalization, especially for small and developing countries?

Although global rules are often described as necessary for cooperation and stability, the power to design these rules does not seem to be evenly distributed. Institutions such as the UN Security Council or the IMF show clear differences in influence among states. If global rules are mainly shaped by powerful countries, it becomes questionable whether they can truly represent diverse interests.

This question matters because the legitimacy of global governance depends on how fair these processes are perceived to be. If many countries feel excluded, global rules may lose their effectiveness. Thinking about this issue helped me realize that political globalization is not only about institutions and norms, but also about power, inequality, and unresolved tensions.

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