Importance of Studying World Politics

Chapter 1: Thinking and Caring about World Politics

“The World is an stage, and all the men and women merely players” (Shakespeare) = Now use as a way to convey the drama of world politics where the world as the stage and countries, international organizations, transnational corporations, NGO’s and people as the global actors.

Importance of Studying World Politics:

Americans learned in 9/11 that world politics can dramatically impact them. We live in a world where the flow and ebb of the action affects us all everyday in large and small ways.

Before 9/11 only 20% of Americans followed international news

The world drama is important and deserves our careful attention. We are all on the stage and are affected by it, so we should participate and make the difference!!!

World Politics and your finances: Worlds politics affects each of our personal economic conditions in many ways. It is expanding as world industrial and financial structures become increasingly intertwined, as in the same way the national and international affairs are so many close (Intermestic= International + domestic concerns especially in the area of economics).

• International trade and your finances: for example US dependence for vital resources. Petroleum is a good example if the price of the barrel increases, the prices of gasoline will increase too and it will affect your finances thanks to the reality of the international system. Another example are jobs (exports create jobs, but other jobs are lost to imports).

• International Capital and your finances: There are two examples:

- International Investment Capital: Each year many individuals and companies invest many billions of dollars abroad in business and real state (Ex: Many US companies have foreign owners creating a foreign control, but also jobs).

- International Financial markets: bonds

• Defense Spending your finances: You pay more for the budget and taxes , military spending; than for federal spending such as education.

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