What IR means to us April 25, 2008

At the beginning of the year, we understood international relations from our perspective as individuals- how our actions affect international relations.  However, this semester has taught us that International relations include many different aspects.  We now understand how governing bodies and organizations affect global relations in addition to how we affect those relations personally.  

 International relationships are give and take.  This course has proved to us that every citizen of every country has a duty and a method through which to influence international affairs. We are grateful for the insight we received through this course because while we still believe everything we stated at the beginning of the semester, we have learned more. This course has taught both of us that International Relations means a duty to communication and a necessity to inform others of this imperative. Thanks for a great semester.

 

Keep it fierce!

           

 

The OAS and IFIs April 18, 2008

            International financial institutions, or IFIs, are financial

establishments founded and directed by more than one country.  These

institutions, whether created by multiple nations or simply two

countries, are typically owned by national governments and other

prominent international institutions.  Among the most well known are the

World Bank and the IMF.

        The Organization of American States has been known to serve as a

discussion ground for issues regarding the need for international

financial assistance.  A good example of intervention by an international

financial institutions is displayed in Resolution 822 of the Organization

of American States.  The OAS Permanent Council adopted the resolution on

September 4, 2008 in hopes to decrease Haiti’s immense budged deficit by

maintaining cooperation among the United States, Haiti and international

financial institutions.  In November of the same year Haiti was approved

for additional loans, which directly depended on the Haitian government’s

economic performance from then on.  The success of the funding initially

provided by the International Monetary fund and World Bank will continue

to serve as a judging factor for future funding by international

financial institutions, upholding the principal that the institutions

cannot simply give away money without imperative cause or some trajectory

of reassurance.

            Because the OAS is an Intergovernmental Organization, it has to maintain a delicate relationship with IFI’s so as not alienate these investors. Most times, the OAS administration gets the brunt of the blame from these IFI’s (most frequently the World Bank) when investments go wrong in one of the member states. However the flip side of the power and influence of the IFI’s is that by holding the OAS responsible, they effectively invest a new authority in the OAS to pressure member states into reforms along democratic or financial lines. Therefore, the relationship between the OAS and most IFI’s is one of collective interest and mutual dependence.

Rules-based thinking April 6, 2008

In our opinion, the OAS almost exclusively uses the rules-based or deontological perspective in its moral decision making.  The OAS places a strong emphasis on the duties and obligations of its member states, and thus reiterates the “agent-centered” focus of deontological thinking.  All OAS member states have a duty to follow the principles set forth in the founding charter, such as collective security and promotion of democracy.  When and if a member state’s internal policies violate any of the founding principles, the OAS sees it fit to intervene. 

 

For example, this April the OAS saw the need to condemn Cuba for a number of violations.  Although the OAS received considerable criticism from Cuba’s allies, Venezuela and Nicaragua, the organization felt the need to make public the multiple infractions made by Cuba.  Their violations include, but are not limited to, to suppression of “political rights and freedom of expression,” lack of “free elections and an independent judiciary,” and the creation of “a permanent panorama of breached basic rights for the Cuban citizenry.”  These infractions are yet another notch on the belt for Cuba, who is still a member of the OAS, but has not been permitted to actively participate in its issues since 1962.  Even though it is not an active member, however, officials still reason that the member state is still obligated to respect human rights treaties. 

 

We feel that the recent action with Cuba illustrates the OAS’s commitment to holding its members accountable to rules-based standard of morality.  It shows that even though long term membership maybe more beneficial, immediate moral accountability is more important to the OAS.