a nuclear buildup

to come into existence

what is more

eventually

In many ways

to give way to something

and vice versa

as opposed to something

to keep under control

UNIT 5

Global politics

Text 1: A new world order PRE-READING activity:

♦ Learn the topical vocabulary and word combinations VOCABULARY:

1. to extend v - простираться, расширять(ся), распространять (влияние), продлить (срок); extention п - распространение, продление, отсрочка; extent п — протяжение, степень; phr — to a great extent — в большой степени; to the full extent — в полной мере/степени; to a certain extent — в из­вестной мере, to some extent — в какой-то степени, to such an extent — до такой степени; extended а - растянутый, длительный, протяженный.

2. to threaten v — грозить, угрожать; a threat п - угроза, phr -a threat to peace — угроза миру; threatening а — угрожаю­щий; threatful а — грозный.

3. to resist v — сопротивляться, противостоять, удержаться от (с отрицанием); phr - he could not resist laughing - он не мог удержаться от смеха; resistance п - сопротивление, противодействие, phr — to offer resistance - оказывать со­противление, to take the line of least resistance - идти no линии наименьшего сопротивления.

4. to ally v — соединять, объединиться в союз; an ally n — со­юзник, an alliance n — союз; allied a — союзнический, при­соединившийся; phr - to be allied (to) - быть связанным, близким.

5. to coincide v — совпадать, соответствовать; coincidence n ~ совпадение, соответствие, случайное стечение обстоя­тельств; coincident а — совпадающий, соответствующий.

6. to supply v — снабжать, поставлять; phr — to supply somebody with something — поставлять кому-либо что-либо, to supply something to somebody — поставлять что-либо кому-либо; supply n - снабжение, поставка, предложение; (экон.) phr -demand and supply — спрос и предложение. 7. to appeal v - апеллировать, взывать; phr — to appeal to reason — взывать к здравому смыслу; an appeal a — призыв, привлекательность, обращение к кому-либо (to sb), просьба о чем-либо (for something); appealing а - привлекательный.

WORDS AND WORD COMBINATIONS

наращивание ядерных воору­жений

возникнуть, появиться

более того

в конце концов

во многих отношениях

уступить чему-либо, сдаться

и наоборот

в отличие от

контролировать

Work in pairs. Do you think the following statements are true. or false?

• The super power era had been marked by East-West rivalry that led to a nuclear build-up and threatened to destroy the planet.

• The post Cold-War world order appeared to pass its first series of major tests with ease.

■ A bipolar world has given way to a unipolar world with the USA playing the role of the ^world's police forces.

• The USA is a disinterested world power.

• The very idea of a new world order might be a piece of historical engineering aimed at safeguarding US interests.

• It's doubtless that the USA has the economic resources to sustain its global role.

• The existence of an external threat promotes internal cohesion.

• Discuss/check your considerations with the rest of the class

SCAN reading: look through the text to find answers to the true/false statements.

TEXT 1: A NEW WORLD ORDER

The birth of the post-Cold-War world was accompanied by a wave of optimism and idealism. The superpower era had been marked by East-West rivalry that extended across the globe and led to a nuclear buildup that threatened to destroy the planet. As communism collapsed in eastern Europe, and Soviet power was in retreat both domestically and internationally, 'one world' speaking with 'one voice' appeared to have come into existence. The 'new world order' was going to be based not on ideological conflict and a balance of terror, but on a common recognition of international norms and standards of morality. Central to this emerging world order was the recognition of the need to settle disputes peacefully, to resist aggression and expansionism, to control and reduce military arsenals, and to ensure the just treatment of domestic populations through respect for human rights. What is more, the post-Cold-War world order appeared to pass its first series of major tests with ease.

Iraq's annexation of Kuwait in August 1990 led to the construction of a broad western and Islamic alliance which, through the Gulf War of 1991, brought about the expulsion of Iraqi forces. The disintegration of Yugoslavia in 1991 saw the first use of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) (renamed the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in December 1994) as a mechanism for tackling international crises, leading to hopes that it would eventually replace both the Warsaw Pact and NATO.

In many ways, the linchpin of the hoped-for new world order was the USA. A bipolar world order had given way to a unipolar one, with the USA, the only power with the military capacity and political authority to intervene effectively, playing the role of the 'world's police force'.

There are several reasons, however, for questioning this image of USA-sponsored international fraternity and world peace. In the first place, there are those who challenge the idea that the USA is a disinterested world power, and doubt that there is anything 'new' about the new world order. For example, the anti-Iraq coalition of 1990—91 perhaps only reflected the fact that US and broader western concerns about oil supplies coincided with regional anxieties amongst Islamic powers such as Syria and Saudi Arabia about a 'Greater Iraq'. In other words, rhetoric about international law and national sovereignty merely camouflaged power politics and the pursuit of national interest. The very idea of a new world order might, indeed, be a piece of historical engineering aimed at safeguarding US interests and maintaining the USA's mastery of the global economy.

There are also doubts about the capacity of the USA to play the role of the world's police force, even if this were thought to be desirable. In the first place, preponderant nuclear power does not always translate into effective military capacity. At a deeper level, however, it is questionable whether the USA has the economic resources to sustain its global role, particularly in a context of relative decline highlighted by the economic resurgence of Japan and Germany. One manifestation of this has been an upsurge in isolationism. How long will Americans be prepared to pay the price of the USA being 'number one'? In the same way as after the First World War, the idea of the USA disengaging itself from international affairs ('leaving the world to sort itself out') has come to have a potent appeal in the USA, and this may grow still stronger.

Further stresses within the new world order have been generated by the releasing of tensions and conflicts that the Cold War had helped to keep under control. The existence of an external threat (be it international communism or capitalist encirclement) promotes internal cohesion and gives societies a sense of purpose and identity. To some extent, for instance, the West defined itself through antagonism towards the East, and vice versa. There is evidence that, in many states, the collapse of the external threat has helped to unleash centrifugal pressures, usually in the form of racial, ethnic and regional tensions.

As opposed to the world being policed and orderly, the emerging international scene seems to be typified by lawlessness and inaction; it appears to resemble more a new world disorder. This may, indeed, be the natural condition of a multipolar world order. Whereas bipolarism is structured, albeit by mutual hostility, muftipolarism creates more fluid and less predictable conditions in which major actors are unclear about their roles and responsibilities. Thus the USA, a German-led Europe, Russia, Japan and South East Asian 'tigers', China, and possibly the Islamic world are all engaged in redefining themselves as international actors freed from the straight-jacket that superpower rivalry imposed. However, the very instability of post-Cold-War politics illustrates its transitionary character. The USA-USSR superpower period may have passed, but a new and stable world order has yet to come into existence. The central question is whether this order will come about through cooperation, engineered by international bodies such as the UN and the EU, or whether it will he imposed through economic domination and military force.

AFTER-READING activity

• Read the text in more depth to do the 'After-reading exercises'

Ex. 1. Comprehension check

1. What was the superpower era marked by?

2. What were the preconditions for a new world order?

3. What is it based on and what is central to this emerging world order?

4. Give examples of its first successful tests.

5. Why was the USA considered to be the linchpin of the hoped-for new world order?

6. List the reasons for questioning this image of the USA.

7. What have new stresses within the new world order been generated by?

8. Why may a new world disorder be the natural condition of a multipolar world?

9. Name the main international actors who are redefining themselves and their roles in the new world order.

10. What is the central question to a new and stable world order?

Ex. 2: Terminology

A. Learn the terminology:

globalisation — глобализация superpower — сверхдержава isolationism — изоляционизм power politics — силовая политика cold war - холодная война free trade — свободная торговля

B. Match the notions with the definitions:

• ... the policy of withdrawal from international affairs and, in particular, avoiding political or military commitment to other states.

• ... a system of trading between states not restricted by tariffs or other forms of protectionism.

• ... a state with preponderant nuclear military capacity and global territorial influence; it is higher than a 'great power'.

• ... the emergence of a complex web of interconnectedness that means that our lives are increasingly shaped by events that occur, and decisions that are made at a great distance from us.

• ... the period of political, economic and cultural and military rivalry between the USA - dominated West and the USSR ~ dominated East that extended from 1945 to the collapse of communism in 1989—91.

• ... an approach to politics, based on the assumption that the pursuit of power is the principal human goal.

• Work with the dictionary and consult the text to do exer­cises 3, 4

Ex. 3. Translate from English into Russian

Soviet power was in retreat both domestically and internationally; standards of morality; to pass its first series of major tests with ease; it brought about the expulsion of Iraqi forces; to tackle international crises; the linchpin of the hoped-for new world order was the USA; the pursuit of national interest; a piece of historical engineering; to sustain its global role; an upsurge in isolationism; it promotes internal cohesion; to unleash centrifugal pressures; the world being policed and orderly; to be typified by lawlessness and inaction; less predictable conditions.

Ex. 4. Translate from Russian into English

Падение коммунизма; предусматривать; всеобщее признание международных норм; решать конфликты мирным путем; со­кратить военные арсеналы; справедливое обращение с местным населением; путем уважения прав человека; присоединение (ан­нексия); переименовать; одно (двух) полярный мир; братство; маскировать; среди (между); охранять интересы государства; со­хранить господство США в экономике; относительный спад в экономике; возрождение экономики Японии; хотя и; взаимная нраждебность.

Кх. 5. Fill in the gaps in column 'A' with the topical vocabulary units from column 'B', making all necessary changes

'A' ⁽B'

1. The island ... for about seven a. to come into existence

miles.

b. to extend

c. to a certain extent, vice versa

The word 'polities' ... in Ancient Grece, literally meaning city-state.

During the Cold War, the West defined itself... through antagonism towards the East and

to contradict, to reconcile

to appeal, to resist, threat

to coincide to ally

8.

9.

10.

era

to give way

to offer, resistance

Collapse of communism in Eastern Europe ... with the Soviet power retreat both domestically and intemationaly. The heart of politics is often portrayed as a process of conflict resolution, in which rival views first ... each other, but then... Peace advocates... to all realistically minded politicians to ... any ... to peace. All peace seeking countries... in the UN right after the II World War.

The policy of the Cold War soon ... to the policy of detente. His opponent ... but slight... The noun 'epoch' means ...

J-

Ex. 6. Learn the following synonyms of the noun «threat», give their derivatives and make up sentences with them

A threat - a warning, pending evil (he threatened to retaliate); A danger - likelihood (of falling on ice); A menace - a danger (but of hostile character); A jeopardy - extreme danger; A peril - imminent great danger;

Hazard - a risk, a chance (uncontrollable) of danger; occupational hazard — профессиональный риск.

Ex. 7. Find the words with the prefixes «multi», «uni», «bi» in the text, learn them and look up some other words with the same prefixes

Ex. 8. Fill in the blanks with 'pmerl, '___!, 'strength*

1. The USA, the only ... with the military capacity and political authority to intervene 'was playing the role of the worlds' police ...

2. Preponderant nuclear ... does not always translate into effective military capacity.

3. The super ... era was marked by the East-West rivalry that extended across the globe.

4. As communism collapsed in Eastern Europe, Soviet ... was in retreat both domestically and internationally.

5. The broad western and Islamic alliance brought about the expulsion of Iraqi ... from Kuweit.

6. The ... of the political party lies in its unity.

7. The USA-USSR super ... period may have passed, but a new and stable world order has yet to come into reality.

8. There are also doubts about the capacity of the USA to play the role of the world's police ...

9. It is questionable whether the USA has the economic resources to sustain its global role, though it has, no doubt, gathered enough ...

10. The linchpin of the hoped-for new world was the USA on the ... of its beeing the only ... with the military capacity and political authority to play the role of the 'world's police ...'

11. The central question is whether a new world order will come about through cooperation or whether it will be imposed through military ...

12. International small and medium-sized enterprises will need a partner who knows mainland China well and this fits in perfectly with Hong Kong's ...

Kx. 9. Paraphrase the underlined parts of the sentences, using the topical vocabulary

] The issue of piling up nuclear weapons was considered by the

participants of the conference. They definitely denounced it as

the main menace to peace. 2. The UN Charter came into force in 1945. i The orator was right to a great degree but I could not say that

his main conclusions reflected mine. I The country occupies a vast territory spreading over hundreds of

kilometers from the North to the South, v The rebels failed to stand against well-trained and well-armed

military units and finally yielded. (>. In many respects, the resolution was calling to reason. 7. The UN Security Council called on the warring groups to put

an end to the hostilities. v All the members of the union demonstrated complete unanimity

of views, their reactions to the draft treaty being very much the

same.

9. The World Health Organisation (WHO) provMes poor countries with the basic medicine and medical equipment.

10. The UN is a voluntary union of world countries struggling for a lasting universal peace.

Ex. 10. Watch the meaning of the verb 'must!, translate the sentences into Russian

1. The delegation must be at the airport two hours before the plane's departure.

2. You must be very careless if you forgot to warn them about that.

3. The conference must consider the problems of the post -Cold - War world.

4. They must he considering the question of resisting potential threats to peace now.

5. Their opinions must have coincided as both of them spoke for the resolution.

6. These consumer goods must be supplied to the hot spot without any delay.

7. They must have been extending the expiration date of my visa till I finally arrived.

8. The UN sanctions against Iraq must have been brought about by Iraq's annexation of Kuwait in 1990.

9. We must know that the existence of an external threat promotes internal cohesion and gives societies a sense of purpose and identity.

10. You must know nothing about it, if you say that the USA has no economic resources to sustain its global role.

Ex, 11. Use the correct form of the Infinitive

1. The book must (be) worth reading if it is so highly recommended.

2. They must (keep) this region under control for a long time.

3. The question must (discuss) already. They are not arguing about it any longer.

4. He must (take) the line of least resistance. He was no longer challenging his future.

5. Judging by his decision to stay in the country for another fortnight, we came to the conclusion that his visa must (extend).

6. The participants must (discuss) the possibility of forging an alliance and taking further joint actions now.

7. He put his signature to the document. He must (persuade) by solid arguments and facts.

8. All peace — loving countries must (join) their efforts in the struggle for peace.

9. The chairman appealed to the delegates to resist further nuclear prolifiration and must (succeed) in it as most of them voted for the resolution.

10. The collapse of the external threat must (help) to unleash centrifugal pressures in the form of racial, ethnic and regional tensions.

11. Even minimalist definitions of democracy offered by political scientists usually include a stipulation that such liberties as freedoms of speach, association, and assembly must (to maintain) at least to the extent necessary to make possible open electoral competition.

12. Those who believe that the future must inevitably (to be) socialist tend to be very old, or very marginal to the real political discourse of their societies.

Ex. 12. Paraphrase the following sentences using 'musн'

1. There is no doubt that the very idea of a new one-polar world is a piece of historical engineering aimed at safeguarding the USA interests.

2. There is no doubt that a bipolar world order had given way to a unipolar one by that time.

3. He is a well-known politician. He has obviously been dealing with questions of international politics for a long time.

4. Evidently they are getting ready for another supply of arms.

5. The reaction of the audience was surely far from warm. The suggestion didn't get any support.

6. Evidently the troops were resisting the enemy with all their might.

7. No doubt, they are still keeping the area under control. Ex. 13, Translate from Russian into English

I. Главная особенность процесса глобализации заключается в том, что территориальные границы, существующие между национальными государствами, имеют все меньшее значе­ние,

1. Это, однако, ни в коей мере не означает, что «местное» или «национальное» вторичны (to be subordinate to) от «глобального». Напротив, последнее еще больше подчерки­вает (highlight) углубление и расширение политического процесса в том смысле (in the sense), что местные, регио­нальные, национальные, международные и глобальные со­бытия связаны между собой и оказывают влияние друг на друга.

3. В результате враждебности между двумя сверх державами ОБСЕ практически сразу после своего создания в 1975 г. была оттеснена на обочину (to sideline) политической жиз­ни мира.

4. По мере возникновения новых форм волнений (unrest) и нестабильности первоначальные надежды (the early promise of) на международную гармонию и сотрудничество оказа­лись иллюзорными (to prove to be ьlusory).

5. США по многим соображениям рассматривались как глав­ная опора ожидаемого нового мира.'

6. Однако есть целый ряд соображений, по которым можно поставить под сомнение инициированный США образ ме­ждународного братства и мира во всем мире.

7. Есть также сомнения относительно способности США иг­рать роль мирового полицейского, даже если это и счита­лось бы желательным. Большой вопрос, есть ли у США достаточные экономические ресурсы, чтобы сохранять свое глобальное лидерство, особенно в контексте его некоторого снижения в связи с экономическим возрождением Японии и Германии.

8. Нео-идеализм - это взгляд (perspective оп) на международ­ную политику, который подчеркивает практическую цен­ность морали и, в частности, уважение прав человека и на­циональной независимости.

9. Интернационализм - это теория и практика политики, ос­нованной на транснациональном и глобальном сотрудни­честве.

10. Баланс сил - система (a pattern) взаимодействия между го­сударствами, которая стремится (to tend) обуздать (to curb) агрессию и экспансионизм, доказывая их несостоятель­ность (rendering them impracticable).

11. Нео-реализм - это взгляд на международную политику, который меняет модель силовой политики, подчеркивая (highlighting) структурные ограничения (constrains), сущест­вующие в международной системе.

12. Суверенитет, в самом упрощенном смысле (in its simplest sense) — это принцип абсолютной и неограниченной вла­сти.

Ex. 14. Translate the text into Russian paying attention to the underlined words (economy/ecmomifes, e_ орщщсд, economic)