Germany in Europe: return of the Nightmare or Towards an Engaged Germany in a New Europe?
In: German politics: Journal of the Association for the Study of German Politics, Band 10, Heft 1, S. 107-116
ISSN: 0964-4008
In: German politics: Journal of the Association for the Study of German Politics, Band 10, Heft 1, S. 107-116
ISSN: 0964-4008
In: Review of international studies: RIS, Band 36, Heft 4, S. 1103-1119
ISSN: 1469-9044
AbstractThe concept of hegemonic overreach proposes a revision of Kennedy's notion of imperial overstretch that puts more emphasis on policy choices of hegemonic states. Previous long-cycle theories of hegemonic breakdown have focused on the contradiction between the hegemon's growing military-political commitments and its slipping economic capability relative to rising challenger states. Another key contradiction in US foreign policy is between the imperatives of hegemony and the ideology of messianic mission developed long before the US stepped up to its current global role. Hegemonic overreach, driven by this sense of messianic mission, is a major cause of failure in US foreign policy.
In: Ebony, S. 25-45
ISSN: 0012-9011
Czechoslovakia faced with the hostile attitudes of Germany and Italy in 1938Adolph Hitler's Germany and Benito Mussolini's Italy were both professed enemies of the Czechoslovak state. Joseph Goebbels, the Minister of Propaganda of the Third Reich, did not try to conceal his negative attitude towards Czechoslovakia any more than the Italian Foreign Minister, Galeazzo Ciano. The diaries of Goebbels and Ciano shed interesting light on foreign policy of Germany and Italy. Neither of the authors did try to conceal his aversion to the policy of Czechoslovakia, when analysing the chain of events on the political scene which, in their view, confirmed their opinion on the weakness of Prague.Goebbels paid attention to show trials in Russia and to the policy of Poland towards Lithuania, and declared that nothing would save Czechoslovakia. "This state has to disappear – he wrote – the sooner, the better". Ciano, on the other hand, noted Benito Mussolini's remarks, who – after the annexation of Austria into Germany – indicated Czechoslovakia, Switzerland and Belgium as the weak points to be erased from the map of Europe. He stressed that Italy was not interested in the fate of Prague. Highly symbolic was the order given by Ciano to the Italian ambassador in Berlin, Bernardo Attolico, to go to Ribbentrop and ask him about precise information on the plans of the Third Reich towards Czechoslovakia to allow Italy to make preparations for mobilisation so as not to be taken unawares. Чехословакия перед лицом враждебной позиции Германии и Италии в 1938 годуЯрыми врагами чехословацкого государства были Германия Адольфа Гитлера и Италия Бенито Муссолини. Министр пропаганды Третьего Рейха Йозеф Геббельс не таил своего отрицательного отношения к Чехословакии. Подобным образом поступал итальянский министр иностранных дел Галеаццо Чиано. Дневники Геббельса, а также дневники Чиано бросают интересный свет на иностранную политику Германии и Италии. Оба автора не скрывали отвращения к чехословацкой политике, анализируя цепь событий на политической сцене, которые, согласно их мнению, подтверждали тезис о слабости Праги. Геббельс обращал внимание на показательные процессы в России, а также на политику Польши по отношению к Литве и отмечал, что уже ничто не сможет спасти Чехословакию. Это государство должно исчезнуть – писал он – чем скорее тем лучше. Чиано записал замечания Бенито Муссолини, который после аншлюса Австрии Третим Рейхом, указал, как на сомнительные точки, которые следует удалить с карты Европы – Чехословакию, Швейцарию и Бельгию. Он подчеркивал, что Италия не заинтересована в судьбе Праги. Символическим моментом являлось распоряжение Чиано, отданное итальянскому послу в Берлине Бернардо Аттолико, отправиться к Риббентропу и попросить его о точной информации о намерениях правительства Рейха по отношению к Чехословакии, чтобы предпринять возможные мобилизационные шаги.
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In: The Department of State bulletin: the official weekly record of United States Foreign Policy, Band 81, S. 30-34
ISSN: 0041-7610
The Revolution of 25 April 1974 in Portugal put an end to a forty-eight year old dictatorship, opening the country to democracy. The purpose of this article is to describe education reform from the standpoint of a country that experienced a major political transition and had to start from the very beginning to devise an education policy. Rather than merely describing the organization of the Portuguese education system, I present a condensed analysis of Portuguese education policy, as I view it, making use of indicators of the nature of an education system proposed by D'Hainaut (1980).
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World Affairs Online
In: Politics & policy: a publication of the Policy Studies Organization, Band 33, Heft 4, S. 642-671
ISSN: 1555-5623
Foreign investments are in the focus of most governments around the world. In order to be able to set a policy agenda which is successful in promoting FDI, it is necessary to understand their detfirminants. This paper examines whether and to what extent sound institutions and the degree of regulation deter or attract FDI flows in four economies of Southeastern Europe. In a dynamic panel analysis, a broad set of institutional and regulatory variables that may affect the decision of foreign investors to undertake investment projects in this region is examined, using firm-level data. Analysis shows that the quality of the institutional environment significantly influences foreign capital. Governments in this region should, therefore, focus primarily on creating a good legal system, having relatively stable political and economic conditions.
BASE
In: Journal of Cold War studies, Band 14, Heft 1, S. 96-106
ISSN: 1520-3972
In this forum, three leading experts on Sino-Soviet relations and Mao Zedong's policy toward the Soviet Union offer their appraisals of Sergey Radchenko's Two Suns in the Heavens, The Sino-Soviet Struggle for Supremacy, 1962-1967, published by the Woodrow Wilson Center Press. The commentators praise many aspects of Radchenko's book, but Michael Sheng and to a lesser extent Qiang Zhai and Deborah Kaple wonder whether Radchenko has gone too far in downplaying the role of ideology in Mao's foreign policy. Unlike Lorenz Luthi, who gives decisive weight to ideology in his own book about the Sino-Soviet split, Radchenko argues that a classical realist approach is the best framework for understanding Chinese foreign policy and the rift between China and the Soviet Union. Sheng and Zhai also raise questions about some of the sources used by Radchenko. Replying to the commentaries, Radchenko defends his conception of Mao's foreign policy, arguing that it is a more nuanced view than Sheng and Zhai imply. Radchenko also stresses the inherent shortcomings of the source base scholars are forced to use when analyzing Chinese foreign policy. Adapted from the source document.
In: Journal of Cold War studies, Band 14, Heft 1, S. 107-110
ISSN: 1520-3972
In this forum, three leading experts on Sino-Soviet relations and Mao Zedong's policy toward the Soviet Union offer their appraisals of Sergey Radchenko's Two Suns in the Heavens, The Sino-Soviet Struggle for Supremacy, 1962-1967, published by the Woodrow Wilson Center Press. The commentators praise many aspects of Radchenko's book, but Michael Sheng and to a lesser extent Qiang Zhai and Deborah Kaple wonder whether Radchenko has gone too far in downplaying the role of ideology in Mao's foreign policy. Unlike Lorenz Luthi, who gives decisive weight to ideology in his own book about the Sino-Soviet split, Radchenko argues that a classical realist approach is the best framework for understanding Chinese foreign policy and the rift between China and the Soviet Union. Sheng and Zhai also raise questions about some of the sources used by Radchenko. Replying to the commentaries, Radchenko defends his conception of Mao's foreign policy, arguing that it is a more nuanced view than Sheng and Zhai imply. Radchenko also stresses the inherent shortcomings of the source base scholars are forced to use when analyzing Chinese foreign policy. Adapted from the source document.
In: Perspectives on European politics and society: journal of intra-European dialogue, Band 5, Heft 3, S. 395-417
ISSN: 1570-5854
The Bush administration's foreign policy following the launch of the 'war on terror' has so fundamentally altered the traditional foundations for the transatlantic relationship that the latter's continued existence as a 'security community' may be at risk. Security communities need nurturing through a continuous process of socialization from the leading state to other members in order to safeguard the essential 'glue' of the community: shared identity, values, & trust. Such a process of patient socialization & explanation of American foreign policies has been part of 'normal politics' since the establishment of the post-war liberal institutional order. The 'Bush Revolution', however, constitutes a re-definition of foreign policy, that may be seen either as a return to or a departure from 'normal politics'. Adapted from the source document.
Singapore has one of the most open economies in Asia in terms of trade, foreign direct investment inflows, and foreign labor inflows. By 2010, citizens formed only 63.6% of the population and foreigners (not including permanent residents) form 34.7% of the labor force. This high foreign labor ratio reflects buoyant labor demand, limited domestic labor supply with declining total fertility rate, and the lack of xenophobia and labor protectionism. Foreign labor is needed to grow the population, mitigate population aging, grow the GDP and per capita GDP, cover shortages in labor supply and skills, act as a cyclical buffer, and contain wage costs to ensure international competitiveness. However, the heavy dependence on foreign labor has also delayed economic restructuring, adversely affected productivity performance, and engendered a FDW-dependency syndrome among households.The foreign labor policy is dual track, with unrestricted inflow of foreign talents and managed inflow of low-skilled labor through the use of work permits, worker levies, dependency ceilings, and educational and skills criteria. Going forward, Singapore has to limit its dependence on foreign labor to accelerate productivity growth and as it is constrained by physical space and citizen concerns over crowding out of jobs, public and recreational spaces, and public services. Greater bilateral and ASEAN cooperation is needed to mitigate the cross-border conflicts and tensions arising from the cross-border movement of labor.
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In: Relations internationales: revue trimestrielle d'histoire, Heft 153, S. 45-56
ISSN: 0335-2013
Governments have repeatedly used newspapers to promote their foreign policy. However, historians have a tendency to describe the press as a passive player and to characterize influential papers as lacking initiative. However the case of Le Matin, one of the most important French dailies in the early twentieth century, proves that a national newspaper could have a true, although at times limited and fragile, international influence. Maurice Bunau-Varilla, famous owner of Le Matin from 1903 to 1944, did not hesitate in challenging some foreign governments in the pre-war era. He became a contact for some alien governments after 1918. However, his influence did depend on the attitude of other newspapers and on his being manipulated by foreign authorities. Adapted from the source document.
In: East Asian Policy, Band 14, Heft 3, S. 17-30
ISSN: 2251-3175
Given that there is no overarching regional organisation for the Indo-Pacific, there has been a proliferation of minilateral and plurilateral groupings focussing on ensuring a free, open and a rules-based Indo-Pacific. The Quadrilateral alliance comprising India, the United States, Australia and Japan falls into this category. India has always maintained a non- aligned foreign policy position. In recent times, however, with the mushrooming of these groupings, "issue-based partnerships' partnerships" is the foreign policy road that India has embarked upon.