Module 2: Concepts in International Relations

Unit 1: Actors
Unit 2: Foreign Policy
Unit 3: National Interest
Unit 4: The Concept of Power

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UNIT 1: ACTORS

CONTENTS
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objectives
3.1 Main Body
3.2 State as main Actors
3.3 Non-state Actors and Sub state Actors
3.4 Multi-National Corporations
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor Market Assignments (TMAS)
7.0 References/Further Readings

1.0 INTRODUCTION:
Scholars of International Relations traditionally study the decisions and acts of those
governments, in relations to other governments. However, the international system is
crowded with several non-state actors large and small that are intimately interwoven
with the decisions of governments. These actors are individual leaders and citizens.
They are bureaucratic agencies in foreign ministries. They include multinational
corporations and terrorist groups etc

2.1 OBJECTIVES
At the end of this unit, you should be able to:
 identify the major actors in international system
 identify the roles of non-state actors in international system
 evaluate the influence of non-state actors on the state actors and
 explain the major role of multi-national corporations as actors in international
relations.

3.1 MAIN BODY

3.2 States as Main Actors in the International System

The most important actors in the international system (Relations) are the states. A state
is a sovereign territorial entity controlled by a government and inhabited by a
population. A national (State) government answers to no higher authority. It exercises
sovereignty over its territory to make and enforce laws, to collect taxes etc. The
sovereignty is recognised and acknowledged by the other states through diplomatic
relations and usually by membership in the United Nations (UN).

The population inhabiting a state forms a civil society to the extent that it has
developed institutions to participate in political or social life. All or part of the
population that shares a group identity may consider itself a nation.

The state’s government is a democracy to the extent that the government is controlled
by the members of the population rather than imposed on them. (Note that the word
state in international system does not mean a state in Nigeria or state in the United
States).

With a few exceptions, each state has a capital city-the seat of government from which
it administers its territory-and often a single individual who acts in the name of the
state. Often this person is referred to as the head of government (Such as a Prime
Minister) or the head of state (such as President, or a King or Queen). In some
countries, such as Nigeria, the same person is head of state and government.

In other countries, the positions of president or royalty, or even the prime minister
have become symbolic. In any case, they are the most powerful political figure and
these figures are the key individual actors in international Relations, regardless of
whether these leaders are democratically elected or dictators. The state actors include
the individual leaders as well as bureaucratic organisations (such as foreign ministers)
that act in the name of the state. National Government may be the most important
actors in international system, but they are strongly influenced by a variety of non-
state actors. These actors are also called transnational actors when they operate across
international boarders.

3.3 Non-State and Sub-State Actors

First, states often take actions through, within, or in the content of intergovernmental
organisation (IGOs). These are organisations whose members are national
governments. Intergovernmental organisations fulfill a variety of functions and vary in
size from just a few states to virtually the whole United Nations membership. The
Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the World Trade
Organisation (WTO), Military alliances such as NATO and political groupings such as
the African Union (AU) are all intergovernmental organisations.

Another type of transnational actors is Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs).

They are private organisations having some considerable size and resources.
Increasingly, Non- governmental organisations are being recognised in the United
Nations and other forms as legitimate actors along with states, though not equal to
them. Some of these groups have a political purpose, some a humanitarian one, some
an economic or technical one. Sometimes Non-governmental Organisations combine
efforts through transnational advocacy networks. There is no single pattern to non-
governmental organisation together, intergovernmental organisations and
International Non-Governmental Organisations are referred to as international
organisations. There are more than twenty five thousand (25,000) International
nongovernmental organisations and five thousand (5000) intergovernmental
organisations (Keck, Margaret and Sikkunk 1998).

3.4 Multinational Corporations

Multinational Corporations (MNCs) are companies based in one state with affiliated
branches or subsidiaries operating in other states. In other words, they are companies
that span on multiple countries. There is no exact definition, but the clearest case of
an MNC is a large corporation that operates on a worldwide basis in many countries
simultaneously with fixed facilities and employees in each country. There is also no
exact count of the total number of multinational corporations, but most estimates are
in the tens of thousands worldwide. Most important are industrial corporations which
make goods in factories in various countries and sell them to business and consumers
in various other countries.

The interests of a large company doing business globally do not correspond with one
state interest MNCs often control greater resources and operate internationally with
greater efficiency than many small states. They may prop up (or even create) friendly
foreign governments. But multinational corporations also provide poor states with
much needed foreign investment and tax revenue. MNCs on the other hand depend
on states to provide protection, well-regulated markets, and a stable political
environment.

The role of multinational corporations as actors in international political relational is

complex. Some scholars see MNCs as virtually being agents of their home national
governments. This view resonates with mercantilism, in which economic activity
ultimately serves political authorities. Thus MNCs have clear national identities and
act as members of their national society under state authority. A variant of this view
(from a more revolutionary world view) considers national governments as being
agents of their multinational corporations. Other scholars see multinational
corporations as citizens of the world beholden to no government. MNCs act globally
in the interest of international stakeholders and owe loyalty to no state.

In any case, MNCs are motivated by the need to maximise profits. Only in the case
of state owned MNCs. Even then, managers of state owned MNCs have won greater

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autonomy to pursue profit in recent years (as part of economic reforms instituted in
many countries) and in many cases state owned enterprises are now being sold off
(privatised) in a bid to make profits like the private owned corporations.

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