Do International Institutions Weaken the Nation-State?

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Case 2: Do International Institutions Weaken the Nation-State? 1. International institutions help nation-states manage everyday interactions and conflicts that can arise, even internationally. Therefore, they do not weaken the power of nation-states – they strengthen them. The United Nations is a stabilizing force that plays an important role in international relationships. Not only does it affect commercial relationships, but there would be no set “infrastructure” for the global economy without it, because no standards or norms would be in place. The United Nations provides opportunities to improve lifestyle, too. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami is the influence behind the newest event scheduled. Recently, the UN organized an exercise that will test 24 countries' readiness for destructive events such as a tsunami. Countries will be evaluated after the exercise to identify their weaknesses and find areas for improvement. This is a great example of one of the many benefits of an international institution. 2. A world without international institutions would possibly experience a collapsing economy. If the United Nations did not exist, international exchanges would be unregulated. There would be no World Health Organization creating standards for pharmaceutical qualities. Another example of a paramount institution is the World Trade Organization. Because of the WTO, fair competition is supported, trades are without discrimination, and there would be difficulty with free trade. Overall, our nations would have more difficult and complex relationships than they already do. The challenges that we experience now would be harder to manage and possibly cause serious implications if we did not have these institutions established. Article: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=48650#.VA9SFWRdVG8 UN.org, September 5,
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