Introduction
Professor James Mayall is Director of the Centre of International Studies and a Fellow of the British Academy. During his career, he has explored in detail the themes of nationalism and international society. He has numerous works on the topic of pluralism. In 2000 Mayall published his book World Politics: Progress and its Limits. The book presents a broad overview of pluralism in its historical development and within the international society. The purpose of this paper is to give an analysis of Professor Mayall’s book in the context of international organizations.
The structural analysis of the book
Professor Mayall’s book World Politics: Progress and its Limits is divided into four parts. Even from first sight, it is visible that parts present opposition of two views on the contemporary international society. Solidarism is opposed to nationalism, as well as sovereignty to democracy. The conflict between pluralist and solidarity values defines the narration. Every topic of the book is presented through the lenses of pluralist views on international society.
The first part gives an overview of the origins and structure of international society. Remarkably, the development of society is intertwined in the book with the spread of pluralism across the world. The first part ends with the contemplations about new solidarism that is immediately countered by an overview of nationalism. The opposition of pluralism and solidarity continues throughout the narration, presenting them as two completely different values.
Pluralism in an international society
James Mayall writes in a classical way supporting the pluralistic view on society. The basic values of this political theory are territoriality, sovereignty, and non-intervention. The author believes that the active promotion of human rights and democracy can bring disorder on the international level because there is no supreme organization to control the activity of the states (Mayall, 2013). Nevertheless, Mayall does not advertise his point of view. He infers that the society as a whole is pluralistic independent of the will of people living in it (Mayall, 2013).
The book presents a historical overview of the development of pluralism. After the creation of a Westphalian international society, this political theory becomes widely known in the world. In connection with that, the differences between cultures and nations are seen as their heritage. The author disapproves of the recent methods in dealing with international relations (Mayall, 2013).
Nationalism as an integral part of society
Mayall explores in detail the concept of nationalism and its influence in international society. He investigates the development of nationalism in the nineteenth century as a major principle of sovereignty. The author places nationalism amongst the main ideas and institutions of international society (Mayall, 2013). Nationalism plays a significant role in the definition of pluralism. Pluralist society rejects the influence coming not from the state. National self-determination is seen as a major goal for international society. Mayall (2013) contemplates how nationalism influences the policy of states in the context of anarchy and diversity. Throughout history, nationalist programs have always found a response in every society.
From the point of view of the author, political leaders should be responsible and prudent in ruling their states. Traditional pluralist values concerning international relations remain unchanged throughout history. Nevertheless, the supporters of this political theory acknowledge the improvements in the institutions of society. Mayall (2013) criticizes the attempts of the strong to give their standards of living to the weak.
The weaknesses of the narration
Following the English pluralist tradition, the author omits the question of economics. Due to the lack of information on this aspect, all speculations about the differences between pluralism and solidarism seem incomplete. The pluralists present these two points of view on international relations as opposed to each other. Pluralism is understood as the rights of the state, whereas solidarism is described as the rights of individuals. Often people refuse to acknowledge the common grounds of these two values.
Mayall (2013) understands pluralism as “the view that states, like individuals, can and do have different interests and values” (p. 56). For pluralists, the international society should rely on procedures and resist all changes. Solidarism is understood as a view of the society as a unity that should support common interests and values. Mayall criticizes solidarists for their attempts to turn international society into a giant corporation with a definite plan.
The opposition of pluralism to solidarism does not take into account the recent movement for common economic liberal values. The market has developed as an institution of the international level. This change can only be appointed to solidarism because countries create new mutual grounds for trade and communication. These economic bounds are ignored when pluralism and solidarism are viewed as contrary values, as a conflict between the rights of a state and the rights of individuals. Both these values must include more than their supporters claim. The development of the international society cannot be reduced to a mere opposition between interests.
The ideas of pluralism are criticized in the book International organizations: The politics and processes by Karns, Mingst, and Stiles (2015). The authors speak at length about the global problems that cannot be managed by any sovereign state alone without support from international unions. Such global issues as terrorism, nuclear weapon proliferation, and illegal migration should be tackled by international society as a whole. The issue of ethnonationalism opposes the idea that nationalism can force the development of individual states. (Karns et al., 2015). In the world of global corporations and international markets, countries prefer to share values and create common grounds rather than search for national identity.
Conclusions
In his book World Politics: Progress and its Limits Professor James Mayall gives a broad overview of international society in the context of pluralism and solidarism. The book is well structured, representing an opposition between different values of contemporary society. The theme of pluralism as an integral part of an international society is visible in every part of the book. The author gives an extensive description of nationalism as a driving force in the history and development of states. The narration lacks details about economic bonds between countries that go beyond the opposition of pluralism and solidarism. The ideas of pluralism are criticized by several authors. Nowadays, global issues cannot be tackled by any state alone. The notion of nationalism being a driving force in the development of countries is countered by the problem of ethnonationalism. Nevertheless, the book presents a remarkable overview of pluralism in international society.
References
Karns, M. P., Mingst, K. A., & Stiles, K. W. (2015). International organizations: The politics and processes. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
Mayall, J. (2013). World politics: Progress and its limits. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.