The changing face of international news

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The changing face of international news

• Thomas Abraham

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Why bother about international news?

• We live in an interconnected world.

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• Whether it is terrorism, war, disease, climate
  change, events in any part of the world have an
  impact on us

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We live in a unique time in history

• For the first time in several hundred years, the
  global political and economic system is dominated
  by a single nation.

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Look at these indicators of US power

• Military power US military budget of over US
  300 billion a year accounts for 40-45 percent of
  global defense spending. The US budget is
  equivalent to the combined military budgets of
  the next 15 most powerful countries.
• It spends this amount without putting a strain on
  its economy defense spending is only around 3.5
  percent of GDP.
• Being Number One at great cost is one thing.
  Being the worlds single superpower on the cheap
  is astonishing. Paul Kennedy

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Economic Power

• The US economy (2004 GDP US 11.6 trillion) is
  nearly two and a half times the size of the
  worlds second largest economy Japan (US 4.6
  trillion)

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Rank Country GDP (millions of USD)
World 44,454,843
European Union 13,502,800
1 United States 12,455,825
2 Japan 4,567,441
3 Germany 2,791,737
4 People's Republic of China 2,234,133
5 United Kingdom 2,229,472
6 France 2,126,719
7 Italy 1,765,537
8 Canada 1,132,436
9 Spain 1,126,565
10 Brazil 795,666
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Technological power

• US expenditures on R and D are nearly equal to
  those of the next seven richest - countries
  combined.
• Cultural power Hollywood, popular music, fast
  food chains, clothes etc.

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We live in an American century

• But will it last for ever?

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A walk through history

• Pre-World War 1 The Age of Empires
• Dominated by Britain, France, Russia and the
  Austro-Hungarian empire, who maintained peace
  through a balance of power. Divided up most of
  Asia and Africa among themselves.

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Why did it break down?

• A world system is stable as long as all the major
  powers are satisfied with it. If there is a
  rising power that is not satisfied, system will
  become unstable.
• The pre WW1 balance was upset by the growth of
  Germany as a new power after its reunification by
  Bismarck in 1871.The system could not accommodate
  the ambitions of a rising Germany.

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What could change the current world order?

• Other rising nations and groups of nations
• -The European Union
• -China
• -Japan
• -India

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The European Union

• A grouping of 27 countries with a common internal
  market, common currency and closely coordinated
  economic policies-
• Taken together, the largest economy in the world
• In terms of population, fourth largest entity.

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Map Wikipedia
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The European Union

• The EU however does not have a unified foreign
  policy, or military
• France and Germany would like to see the EU
  develop a common foreign and security policy, but
  other countries, like Britain are not keen
• Big question for the EUs future role in global
  politics can it develop a common foreign policy,
  and develop its military strength?

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Japan

• Despite the problems of the last decade, still
  the worlds second largest economy
• Once its economic restructuring is complete,
  there is no reason why Japan can not enjoy
  another long spurt of growth as it did from the
  1960s to 1990.
• Japans constitution limits the size of its armed
  forces but there is a debate on whether this
  should be revised
• Japan has the technology to very rapidly become a
  nuclear weapons power

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China

• If Chinas economy continues to grow at its
  current rate of 9 percent, it will overtake Japan
  by 2020 to become the worlds second largest
  economy
• Already a nuclear weapons power
• Problems that need to be overcome reform of
  financial structure, unemployment, corruption.
• Aging population due to one child policy
• Can growth and modernisation proceed without
  political reform?

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India

• At present, 12th largest economy in the world. If
  it continues to grow at the current 6-7 percent a
  year, by 2030 it would have overtaken Japan
• Large population. Good technical manpower
• Nuclear weaponry as well as large armed forces
• Problems poverty social inequalities, social
  tensions, governmental inefficiencies

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A few decades down the road

• In the next two to three decades, the balance of
  global economic power will shift towards Asia,
  powered by China, Japan and India.
• As the European Union expands and consolidates,
  it could become a major global player
• The rise of a multi-polar world? How will the US
  react to this?

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The subjects of international news are changing

• Traditionally, international news has occupied
  itself with war, disasters, crises, and
  diplomacy.
• The new 21st agenda for international news, is
  much broader and more exciting
• It will be driven not so much by the formal
  relations between nations, but the consequences
  of globalisation.

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• Environmental wear and tear
• -climate change
• -global water shortages
• -preserving and protecting natural resources

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• Global inequality
• -global trade and inequality
• -consequences of growing inequalities between
  nations and regions

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• Poisoned fruits of globalisation
• -drug smuggling
• -human trafficking
• -international arms trade

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The website

• http//www.jmsc.edublogs.org
• We will report on four broad topics
• -US presidential primaries
• -Environmental issues- climate change, global
  water shortage, global food shortage
• -Poisoned fruits of globalization ( drug
  smuggling, people trafficking etc)
• -Africa ( current crisis in Kenya etc)

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• You will form reporting teams of four each, with
  one person coordinating the weeks stories.
• Each of you will write one blog type story a
  week, focussing on something interesting,
  informative
• Each class, one team will present its stories.