INR2002 Chapter 1 What Shaped Our World A Historical Introduction Notes The Puzzle How has conflict among nations ebbed and flowed over the centuries When and how have war or peace prosperity or stagnation prevailed The Emergence of International Relations The Mercantilist Era Political economic power only emerged after 1500 1492 explorers conquerors traders settlers moved out of western Europe o Spain Portugal first then England France Netherlands 1700 the world was ruled by western Europeans o Euro Influence rarely welcomed by locals o Centuries of expansion world politics dominated by Euro politics Euro gov ts were almost all absolute monarchies o Interests 1 Wanted to ensure their own political and military power Desire to control greater territories and resources Mercantilism a system by which imperial gov ts used military power to enrich themselves and their supporters 2 Euro gov ts wanted access to markets and resources in other parts of the world then used those riches to enhance their military power o Principal mechanism establishment of monopolies that controlled trade and other econ activities manipulating them so as to direct money into the coffers of the gov t and its business supporters Ex Gov t monopolies Spanish crown s control of colonies silver gold mines private business monopolies Dutch East Indies Company Hudson s Bay Company o Most important controls trade controls Served to manipulate the terms of trade Ex Prices paid for imports and received for exports o Goal of mercantilist policies turn the terms of trade against the colonies and in favor of the mother country Reduce the prices that the mother country paid its colonists for what it bought and to raise the prices that the mother country paid its colonists for what it sold Ex Requiring colonies only to buy and sell certain goods from and to the colonial power Subjects received less for what they produced but paid more for what they consumed in return they obtained the protection of a powerful empire European powers battled w one another over wealth and power search for military advantage was closely tied to economic competition o Spanish and Portuguese fought for dominance in the New World Spain victorious 1560s Spanish possessions in the Netherlands revolt new Dutch Republic 1580s Britain challenges Spain Spanish defeat at the Spanish Armada 1588 1618 1648 Thirty Years War French Dutch others sealed decline of Spain o Peace of Westphalia settlement that ended the Thirty Years War which stabilized the borders of belligerent countries and attempted to resolve some of the religious conflicts that had complicated their relations Beginning of modern state systems b c treaty called on gov t not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries respect sovereignty Sovereignty the expectation that states have legal and political supremacy within their territorial boundaries o English and Dutch fought each other after Spanish descent 1660s English commercial growth and wars the English surpass the Dutch as the world s leading trading and maritime power Launched 150 year conflict between England and France o 1756 1763 Seven Years War a k a French and Indian War in North America ended French presence in New World established British dominance 1789 French challenge Britain again during French Revolution Leads to Napoleonic Wars 1804 1815 o 1815 Britain defeats Napoleon at Waterloo established British international hegemony Hegemony the predominance of one nation state over others The Pax Britannica 1815 1914 o Major powers more interested than before in trading and investing worldwide including w one another Most gov ts welcomed links among their economies Economic interactions more cooperative b c countries were pursuing a common interest in global economic integration The Hundred Years Peace o 1815 1914 relations among European powers were far calmer than they had been for 300 years Nations continued to care about their security interests however relations became more stable and cooperative Common interest in protecting ruling regimes from new political pressures o French Rev democratic gov ts vs absolutists autocratic gov ts autocrats won Few Euro nations were at all democratic 1830 2 of British population could vote disproportionate allocation of seats meant that middle class people that could vote would barely make a difference o Common fear of revolution by democratic forces Socialists and Communists 1815 Prussian Russian Austrian monarchies established Holy Alliance Largely aimed at facing revolutionary threat Concert of Europe Holy Alliance extended a system under which the major powers consulted on important diplomatic affairs o Interactions also stabilized by the reality of British diplomatic military and economic predominance Pax Britannica British Peace a century long period beginning w Napoleons defeat at Waterloo in 1815 and ending w the outbreak of WWI in 1914 during which Britain s economic and diplomatic influence contributed to economic and diplomatic influence contributed to economic openness and relative peace 2 British hegemony provides a stabilizing force to Europe Britain tried to prevent the supremacy of any one country on the Euro continent acting to maintain a balance of power o Balance helped deter military conflict among Euro powers o Decline of one empire and the rise of another led to the century s biggest conflict Ottoman Empire Middle East N Africa SE Europe weakened continually Russia attempted to expend its influence in the Middle East o 1853 1856 Crimean War when other Euro states tried to restrain Russia Russia was defeated Franco Prussian War Prussia tried to unify new German empire French tried to discourage this process Prussia wins o Absolutists Euro powers agreed on the desirability of ending mercantilist economic controls of the earlier imperial period changes in economic interests British desires for more open trade first displaced mercantilist interests Britain s Industrial Revolution inventors and industrialists introduces technological innovations that revolutionized production o Ability to produce cotton textiles iron chemicals machinery quickly and Free Trade cheaply goods Allowing foreigners to sell to Britain lowered costs directly by importing cheaper raw materials and indirectly b c cheaper imported food would allow factory owners to pay lower wages w out reducing workers standard of living o If foreigners earned more by selling to Britain they could buy
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