Political globalization
Growth of the worldwide political system and its institutions.
Political globalization is the growth of the worldwide political system, both in size and complexity. It includes national governments, their governmental and intergovernmental organizations, as well as government-independent elements of global civil society such as international non-governmental organizations and social movement organizations. One of the key aspects of political globalization is the declining importance of the nation-state and the rise of other actors on the political scene. The creation and existence of the United Nations is called one of the classic examples of political globalization. Political globalization is one of the three main dimensions of globalization commonly found in academic literature, with the two others being economic globalization and cultural globalization.
- field
- Political science, globalization studies
- known_for
- One of the three main dimensions of globalization; declining importance of the nation-state; rise of global governance institutions
- key_definers
- William R. Thompson, Valentine M. Moghadam, Manfred B. Steger, Colin Crouch, Gerard Delanty, Chris Rumford
- measurement_institute
- KOF institute at ETH Zurich
- measurement_components
- Number of embassies, membership in international organizations, participation in UN peacekeeping missions, number of international treaties signed
Lore & Background
Political globalization has been defined by several scholars. William R. Thompson defined it as 'the expansion of a global political system, and its institutions, in which inter-regional transactions (including, but certainly not limited to trade) are managed.' Valentine M. Moghadam defined it as 'an increasing trend toward multilateralism (in which the United Nations plays a key role), to an emerging transnational state apparatus, and toward the emergence of national and international nongovernmental organizations that act as watchdogs over governments and have increased their activities and influence.' Manfred B. Steger wrote that it 'refers to the intensification and expansion of political interrelations across the globe.' Colin Crouch offered a longer definition referring to the growing power of institutions of global governance such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Trade Organization, as well as the spread of international non-governmental organizations, social movement organizations, and transnational advocacy networks. Gerard Delanty and Chris Rumford defined it as 'a tension between three processes which interact to produce the complex field of global politics: global geopolitics, global normative culture and polycentric networks.' The book World Federalist Manifesto, Guide to Political Globalization defines it as 'the creation of a system of global governance that regulates relationships among nations and guarantees the rights arising from social and economic globalization.'
Reader's Guide
Political globalization is significant as one of the three main dimensions of globalization, alongside economic and cultural globalization. It captures the expansion and increasing complexity of the worldwide political system, including the declining importance of the nation-state and the rise of other actors such as international non-governmental organizations, social movement organizations, and global governance institutions like the United Nations, World Bank, IMF, and WTO. The concept is measured by aggregating data on embassies, membership in international organizations, participation in UN peacekeeping missions, and international treaties signed. There is a heated debate over whether political globalization signifies the decline of the nation-state: hyper-globalists argue that state boundaries are losing significance, while skeptics believe the nation-state remains the supreme actor in international relations. David Held proposed that continuing political globalization may lead to a world government-like cosmopolitan democracy, though this vision has been criticized as too idealistic. The creation and existence of the United Nations is called one of the classic examples of political globalization.
Did You Know?
- Political globalization is one of the three main dimensions of globalization, with the other two being economic globalization and cultural globalization.
- The creation and existence of the United Nations is called one of the classic examples of political globalization.
- Political globalization is measured by aggregating data on the number of embassies, membership in international organizations, participation in UN peacekeeping missions, and international treaties signed.
- David Held proposed that continuing political globalization may lead to the creation of a world government-like cosmopolitan democracy, though this vision has been criticized as too idealistic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Political globalization?
Political globalization is a core concept in political science and globalization studies describing how the worldwide political landscape expands in both scope and intricacy. It covers national governments, intergovernmental bodies, and civil-society actors such as international NGOs and transnational social movement organizations.
What are Political globalization's powers/role?
Its central 'power' is reshaping who holds political influence by eroding the dominance of the nation-state while elevating supranational institutions and non-state actors. It is widely recognized as one of the three principal dimensions of the broader globalization process, alongside economic and cultural globalization.
How does Political globalization's story end?
There is no fixed ending; it is an ongoing, evolving process as new governance structures emerge and traditional state sovereignty continues to be challenged. The founding of the United Nations is typically cited as a landmark milestone in this unfolding narrative rather than its conclusion.
Why is Political globalization important?
It fundamentally redistributes political authority, shifting decision-making from individual states toward a web of multilateral institutions and transnational civil-society groups. Scholars including Steger, Thompson, and Moghadam have identified this shift as essential for understanding contemporary world politics.
How is Political globalization measured?
The KOF institute at ETH Zurich quantifies it using indicators such as the number of diplomatic embassies a country maintains, its membership in international organizations, and its participation in UN peacekeeping missions. Together these components help gauge how deeply a state is embedded in the global political system.
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