The Roles Of The State By Susan Strange And Robert Gilpin

The study of international relations not only questions the global affairs of the past and of the present, but also of the future. Scholars such as Susan Strange and Robert Gilpin––whose arguments will be examined in this paper––sought to predict what the role of the state would be in the generations to come. By examining the function of the state through an international political economy perspective, the authors present their own predictions which are strikingly opposed to one another. Both of the authors wrote their works as economic globalization was at its height––global markets were rapidly expanding, countries were shedding their protectionist skins as the Cold War ended, the Internet and other technological innovations were changing …show more content…
Although some view Strange’s work as a complete repudiation of the state, she does not propose that the state is altogether disappearing. However, she does challenge realist ideas by purporting that states are not the only entities that have power over political outcomes. Much of the international relations literature is excessively state-centric, failing to acknowledge various other groups in society. With the decline of the United States (US)’s hegemony, the balance of power shifted from the states to the markets. While the US introduced measures intended to spread free market principles to other states in Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia, policymakers did not anticipate that doing so would also transfer its authority to another entity––the market. According to Strange, power moved to the markets in ten main arenas. For the sake of brevity, this paper will highlight––and …show more content…
These numbers are likely increasing today. From small-scale Internet businesses that ship goods to locations across the globe to giant MNCs that are headquartered in a multitude of countries, it would be foolish to assert that NGOs and MNCs have little influence in today’s society. However, the retreat of the state is not a symptom of globalization. Rather, globalization entails the reconfiguration of the state. This is the premise of Gilpin’s argument, which is based on state-centered realism. In contrast to Strange’s claim that realism is a “one-eyed social science”, Gilpin openly acknowledges that economic globalization exists and does not refute the fact that MNCs and other NGOs play a large role in the international system. However, he cannot stand behind the claim that the state is becoming obsolete. In particular, Gilpin references three themes in order to negate Strange’s