Class-12, Subject: Political Science Part-I Contemporary World Politics

Lesson 2, New Centers of Power (Session 2022-2023) Chapter Summary

Organization: EU, ASEAN, SAARC, BRICS.
Nations: Russia, China, Israel, India, Japan and South Korea.

OBJECTIVES OF INTERNATIONAL / REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

1. Fostering Cooperation,
2. To make economic development,
3. To maintain the balance of power in the world,
4. Resolving mutual disputes by negotiation

MARSHAL PLAN
• After 1945, reconciliation among the countries of Europe was also helped by the Cold War.
• America helped tremendously for the restructuring of the economy of Europe, this is known
as the Marshall Plan.
• America gave birth to a collective security system under 'NATO'.
• Under the Marshall Plan, the European Organization for Economic Cooperation was
established in 1948, through which financial aid was given to the countries of Western Europe.

EUROPEAN UNION (EU)

• Founding Members - Germany, Italy, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg
• The EU tried to expand the scope of cooperation by adding new members. The new members
were mainly from the former Soviet camp.
• Tried to rebuild its relations in the European countries destroyed by the two world wars. Its
sequence is as follows
o European Organization for Economic Cooperation (1948),
o European Council (1949),
o European Economic Community (1957) and eventually
o The European Union (1992) was established.

• As of present (2022), there are 49 countries in the continent of Europe, of which five are such
countries; Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey which come in both continents of
Asia and Europe.
• Current members of the European Union - Organization of 27 nations
• NOTE - Earlier the European Union consisted of 28 countries, on 31 January 2020, Britain
left the membership of the European Union, after which 27 members are left in it. Britain is
the only and the first member country to leave the European Union.
• The economic, political, diplomatic and military influence of the European Union is
enormous.

• EUROPEAN UNION IN 2005

o Was the largest economy in the world
o It’s GDP was more than 12000 billion dollars
o The European Union has its own flag, flag anthem, foundation day and its own currency
(Euro).
o The European Union has the second largest army in the world in military strength.
o Its total defense budget is the highest after the US.

• April 1951 - France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg signed
the Treaty of Paris to form the European Coal and Steel Community.
• February 1992 - Signing of the Maastricht Treaty to form the European Union.
• 1992 The countries of Western Europe created the European Union
• January 2002 - The new currency Euro is adopted by 12 member countries.
• In 2003, the European Union tried to create a common constitution. This attempt was
unsuccessful.

REASONS THAT MAKE THE EUROPEAN UNION AN EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATION

• Threat to EU currency, Euro, US dollar
• The two EU member states Britain and France are permanent members of the Security Council
and are nuclear power and it is estimated that there are about 550 nuclear weapons in their
arsenal.
• The European Union also ranks second in the world in terms of space science and
communication technology.
• 3 times the share of US in world trade.
• World's second largest army.

ASEAN - Association of Southeast Asian Nations

• Before and during the Second World War, this part of South Asia was repeatedly subjected to
European and Japanese colonialism and paid a heavy political and economic price.
• Problems of the region after the end of the war - Nation-Building, Economic Backwardness,
Poverty And Pressure To Go With A Single Superpower.
• Five countries of Southeast Asia signed the 1967 Bangkok Declaration for economic
development, 5 countries of this region signed

ESTABLISHMENT OF ASEAN
• Headquarters - Jakarta
• Founding five countries - Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
• Joined members in subsequent years - Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
• At present its membership has increased to ten.
• The real strength of ASEAN lies in its policy of constant dialogue and consultation between
its member states, participating members and other non-regional organizations.
• ASEAN member countries have made rapid economic progress through this organization.

The Three Pillars of the ASEAN Community (2003)

o ASEAN Security Community,
o ASEAN Economic Community and
o ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community

• ASEAN is the only regional organization in Asia that provides a political forum for Asian
countries and world powers to discuss political and security matters.
• India has signed free trade agreements with two ASEAN members, Singapore and Thailand.

• KEY OBJECTIVES - The main objective of the ASEAN Economic Community is to help
ASEAN countries in common market and socio-economic development.

• ASEAN WAY - These countries called for non-confrontational and cooperative reconciliation.
• Focused on creating free trade zones in terms of investment, labor and services.
• The ASEAN Regional Forum was established in 1994 to coordinate the security and foreign
policies of ASEAN countries.

• THE VISION DOCUMENT 2020 emphasized an outward-looking role of ASEAN in the

international community.
• The overall economy of the ASEAN region is much smaller than that of the US, the European
Union and Japan, but it grew the most rapidly.
• Flag of ASEAN - The ten earrings of wealth in the ASEAN emblem represent the ten countries
of Southeast Asia that are bound together by the thread of friendship and unity. The circle
symbolizes the unity of ASEAN.
ASEAN as New Center (Relevance)
• Its greatest strength is the ASEAN style, policy of non-confrontational dialogue and
consultations.
• Focus on creating free trade zones in terms of investment, labor and services.
• America and China showed interest in this area for trade.
• The only organization that provides a forum for all Asian countries and world powers
including India.

SAARC - SOUTH ASIAN ORGANIZATION FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION

• Member Countries - Economic and political organization of 8 nations.
• Established - 8 December 1985
• The headquarter of SAARC is in Kathmandu (Nepal).
• South Asia is mainly used for the regions of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal,
Pakistan and Sri Lanka. 17 % of the world's population lives here
• Afghanistan was also included in 2005 and Myanmar is also discussed but China is not
considered a part of South Asia despite being a major nation in this region.
• The specific geographical, social, linguistic and cultural similarities of these regions have
increased their closeness.
• Today in the world this region is a security threat area because in the last years of the 20th
century, India-Pakistan made its own nuclear power.

• Geographical specificity – as a specific natural area

o The great Himalayan Mountain range of the north,
o South Indian Ocean,
o West's Arabian Sea and
o East Bay of Bengal
• If the countries of South Asia cooperate with each other, then this region can develop and
become prosperous.
• There is a dispute between the countries of this region regarding the border and the sharing
of river water.
• This country has always been very sensitive to the region of South Asia due to insurgency,
ethnic conflicts and disputes over the distribution of resources etc.
• It is an area where harmony and enmity, hope and despair and mutual doubt and trust coexist.
• The record of democracy in the region has been mixed. The people of these countries have
participated in the aspirations of democracy.
• (SAFTA) Agreement on the South Asian Free Trade Area
• Strategic importance of the Indian Ocean trade waterways
BRICS
• Established - 2006 in Russia
• BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa)
• Objectives of BRICS - cooperation on mutual interests, trade, health education, technology,
sharing economic benefits among member countries and not interfering in internal affairs.

Key Features
• The population of BRICS countries is about 40% of the world's population, and its share in
the global GDP is about 30%.
• It is seen as an important economic engine
• It is an emerging investment market and global power.
• Launch of BRICS
• BRICS was discussed in 2001 by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill in a report on the
growth prospects for the economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China.
• In 2006, the four countries began a regular informal diplomatic coordination with annual
meetings of foreign ministers at the end of the General Debate of the United Nations General
Assembly.
• From this successful negotiation it was decided that it should be organized as an annual
summit at the level of heads of state and government.
• The first BRIC summit took place in 2009 in Yekaterinburg, Russia and discussed issues such
as reforming the global financial system.
• In December 2010, South Africa was invited to join the BRIC and came to be known as
BRICS.
• In March 2011, South Africa participated in the 3rd BRICS summit in Sanya, China for the
first time.

Purpose
• The objective of BRICS is to advance cooperation between the group as well as individual
countries on a large scale for more sustainable, equitable and mutually beneficial development.
• The economic status and development of each member is taken into account by BRICS so
that relations are built on the basis of economic strength of the country concerned and
competition is avoided as far as possible.
• BRICS is emerging as a new and promising politico-diplomatic entity with various financial
objectives that go beyond the basic objective of reforming global financial institutions.
RUSSIA (NEW CENTER OF POWER) CAPITAL MOSCOW
• Russia was the largest part of the Soviet Union before its dissolution.
• The Soviet Union was an organization made up of 15 independent republics, beginning with
the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989 and ending with Gorbachev's resignation as
President on 25 December 1991. Completely over.
• In December 1991, the former Soviet Union disintegrated and 15 new nations emerged.

A COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES (CIS)

• Except for the three Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the remaining 12 states have
formed a Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), whose
• The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is headquartered in Minsk, the capital of
Belarus.

Member countries included in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

1. Russia, 4. Kazakhstan, 7. Tajikistan, 10. Uzbekistan,
2. Kyrgyzstan, 5. Turkmenistan, 8. Georgia, 11. Armenia,
3. Azerbaijan, 6. Moldovia, 9. Ukraine, 12. Belarus

• After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Russia emerged as
the most powerful successor to the Republic of the Soviet Socialist Union (USSR).
• Large sized developed country located in Eastern Europe and North Asia
• Russia's GDP ranks 11th in the world
• Russia has immense reserves of minerals, natural resources and gases which make it a powerful
state on the global stage.
• In addition, Russia is a nuclear-armed state with a huge stockpile of sophisticated weapons.
• Russia is also a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, also known as
the P-5.

IMPORTANCE OF RUSSIAN COOPERATION FOR INDIA

• Russia has been instrumental in enhancing the power and technical capability of the Indian
Navy.
• Currently India has been provided with nuclear-submarine 'INS Chakra (SSN)' by Russia,
along with another nuclear-submarine is likely to be given by Russia to India in the near
future.
• Presently also Indian astronauts are trained in Russia.
• Russia has also contributed significantly in the establishment of nuclear power plants in India.
• Russia's capability and experience in important and strategic areas like defence, energy, space
etc. has been very helpful to India.
• Brahmos missile, upgrade of M-46 gun etc. are prime examples of strong Indo-Russian ties in
the defense sector.

CHINA (NEW CENTER OF POWER) CAPITAL BEIJING

• Its vast population, large landmass, resources, territorial location and political influence
coupled with this rapid economic growth increase China's influence manifold.
• At the time of the establishment of the People's Republic of China after the communist
revolution led by Mao in 1949, the economy here was based on the Soviet model.
• China has overtaken even the most developed countries in terms of providing employment
and benefits of social welfare schemes to all citizens and educating and providing health
facilities to its citizens.
• China has made rapid economic progress, due to which it has come to be known as a
superpower.
• Established relations with America in 1972.
• In 1973 Prime Minister Chou N. Lai modernized agriculture, industry, the military and
science.
• In 1978, the then leader Deng Xiaoping announced economic reforms and an 'open door
policy' in China.
• China's continued economic success since 1978 has been linked to its emergence as a
superpower.
• Instead of following 'shock therapy', China opened its economy in a phased manner.
• Farming was privatized in 1982
• Industries were privatized in 1998.
• Trade barriers have been removed only for 'Special Economic Zones' (SEZs) where foreign
investors can set up their ventures.
• Joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.
• China is the fastest growing economic power and it is believed that by 2040 it will overtake
the world's largest economic power, the US.

Criticisms / Disadvantages of Development

• Not everyone benefits from reforms
• Unemployment has increased and 10 crore people are in search of employment
• Women's employment and working conditions are as bad as in Europe in the 18th and 19th
centuries
• Consequences such as damage to the environment and increase in corruption also came to
the fore.
• The economic gap between the village and the city and the people living on the coastal and
mainland is widening.

INDIA CHINA RELATIONS - A GLANCE

• For thousands of years, Tibet served as a region that kept India and China geographically
separate and peaceful, but relations have been strained since the annexation of Tibet in 1950.
• In 1954, Nehru and Zhou Enlai signed the Panchsheel Pact with the slogan Hindi-Chini-Bhai-
Bhai, to prepare an action plan to establish peace in the region.
• In 1959, the spiritual and temporal head of the Tibetan people, the Dalai Lama, along with
many other Tibetan refugees, settled in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh. After this, China
accused India of spreading expansionism and imperialism in Tibet and the entire Himalayan
region.
• War took place in 1962 over some areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai-Chin areas of Ladakh
(military defeat to India).
• Diplomatic relations ended till 1976.
• In 1981, several talks were held to resolve the border disputes.
• After the visit of Rajiv Gandhi in December 1988, efforts to avoid confrontation increased.
• In recent years, India-China has increased mutual economic and trade relations, keeping their
disputes aside.
• Border dispute
• There is also border dispute between India and China in Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh.
• Both countries present their claim on both the areas, it is known that Aksai Chin is currently
with China, while Arunachal Pradesh is with India.
• When the Indian Prime Minister visited China in May 2015, one of his main objectives was to
invite the top Chinese leadership to discuss the clarification of the Line of Actual Control
(LAC).

INDIA (NEW CENTER OF POWER) CAPITAL DELHI

• The population of 135 crores, the highest youth population.
• The economic, political and cultural situation has strengthened.
• The world's largest democracy
• Military power and nuclear technology make it self-sufficient
• A candidate for permanent membership in the Security Council is
ISRAEL (NEW CENTER OF POWER) CAPITAL JERUSALEM
• A technically educated country.
• Economy consisting of electronics and communication technology based industry.
• Israel ranked fifth by the 2019 Bloomberg Innovation Index.
• Developed latest technology for alternative energy source (solar energy).
• Most powerful country in defence, intelligence, science and technology.

JAPAN (NEW CENTER OF POWER) CAPITAL TOKYO

• Famous brands like Sony, Panasonic, Canon, Suzuki, Honda, Toyota and Mazda belong to
Japan.
• They are known for making high technology products.
• Japan has few natural resources and imports most of its raw materials. Despite this, Japan made
rapid progress after the Second World War.
• The economy of Japan is the second largest economy in the world.
• Among the countries of Asia, only Japan is included in the countries of Group-8.
• Japan ranks tenth in the world in terms of population.
• Japan is the only country to have suffered the brunt of an atomic bomb.
• Japan contributes 20 percent to the United Nations budget.
• Japan is the second largest country in terms of contribution to the United Nations budget.
• Japan has a security alliance with the US since 1951.
• According to Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan - "The people of Japan forever renounce
war as the sovereign right of the nation and the use of force or intimidation in the settlement
of international disputes."
• Japan's military expenditure is only 1 percent of its GDP, yet Japan ranks fourth in the world
in terms of military expenditure.

SOUTH KOREA (NEW CENTER OF POWER) CAPITAL SEOUL

• South Korea is a country located in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean
Peninsula.
• Known as the 'Land of Quiet Morning', this country lies to the west of China, to the east and
North Korea to the north.
• Capital - Seoul (the world's second largest metropolitan area and a major global city)
• Official language - Korean, which is written in both Hangul and Hanja scripts.
• National currency - is the won
• Education is considered very important to success in South Korea,
• North Korea is the only country bordering this country, which has a 238 km long border with
South Korea.
• The border between the two Koreas is the world's most heavily congested border.
• South Korea, which has been ravaged by the Korean War, is currently a developed country
and the world's thirteenth largest economy on the basis of gross domestic product (purchasing
power) and fifteenth largest economy on the basis of gross domestic product (cognitive).
• Korea has 15 international airports and about 500 universities. People come from abroad to
study here.
• There has been a lot of industrial development and people from 15 countries including China
in Korea work here through Employment Permission System (EPS). In which 4 countries of
South Asia are Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Politics
• The head of state in South Korea is the President.
• The current President is Lee Myung-bak from the Hannara Party and was elected President in
2007.
• A one-man government system has been adopted in South Korea
• Parliamentary elections in the country were started from 1980. Until 1988, there were several
restrictions on elections in the country that were imposed by presidents such as Park Gung-
hee and later Chun Do-hwan.
• The country's first parliamentary election was held in 1988.

Economy
• As of 2008, the economy of South Korea is the 5th largest economy in the world by purchasing
power and the 4th largest in terms of cognition.
• Per capita income increased from $100 in 1963 to $20,000 in 2005.
• During the past sixty years, major sectors of South Korea's economy have undergone
miraculous changes.
• The country's economy was mainly based on agriculture and some light industries during the
1940s.
• The economy focused on light industries and consumer products during the next few decades
and heavy industries during the 1970s and 1980s.
• During the first 30 years, President Park Chung-hee introduced the Five Year Plans from 1962,
which resulted in the rapid growth and reshaping of the economy.
• Because of the unprecedented progress made between the 1960s and 1990s, South Korea is
considered an Asiatic cheetah along with Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong.
• This progress since the 1960s began to decline in the late 1980s. Whereas wages, population
and inflation had increased.
• As in other developed countries, the service sector's contribution to the economy increased
in the 1990s and became a major sector and currently accounts for two-thirds of GDP.
• Religion
• Christianity and Buddhism are the two major religions of the country. Christians are 49% and
Buddhists 47%.
• Only 3% of the population call themselves Confucian, Koreans are heavily influenced by
Confucian beliefs. The rest of the Koreans follow Shamanism and Chondogyo religions.

South Korea and nuclear weapons

• In 2004, South Korean officials acknowledged that South Korea had conducted tests to obtain
weapons-worthy plutonium to enrich uranium in the 1980s and 2000s.
• However, Seoul had grossly violated the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty by not notifying
the IAEA.
• On 26 September 2004, IAEA. Experts visited the country's nuclear facilities to inquire about
South Korea's enrichment program and suggested that there was also a military aspect to South
Korea's uranium enrichment program.