Global governance and international law
Practice Flashcards
Flip to reveal answersWhat is global governance?
Track your progress — Sign up free to save your progress and get smart review reminders based on spaced repetition.
All 11 Flashcards — Global governance and international law
Sign up free to track progress and get spaced-repetition review schedules.
Question
What is global governance?
Answer
The way the world is run through cooperation, rules and institutions — treaties, IGOs and international law — without a single world government.
Question
What is the difference between government and governance?
Answer
Government is a single authority that makes and enforces binding law over everyone; governance is getting things done through cooperation without one ruler above the states.
Question
What is international law?
Answer
The rules that govern how states behave towards each other, coming from treaties, custom, general principles and court rulings.
Question
What are the sources of international law?
Answer
Treaties, long-standing custom, general principles of law, and the decisions of international courts.
Question
What is the difference between hard and soft law?
Answer
Hard law is binding (e.g. treaties); soft law is not binding but still shapes behaviour (e.g. declarations, norms).
Question
Why is international law hard to enforce?
Answer
Because there is no world government or world police to compel a sovereign state, so powerful states can sometimes ignore it.
Question
Why do states mostly obey international law anyway?
Answer
Because it is in their interest, because of pressure and reputation, and because courts and bodies can rule against them.
Question
Who takes part in global governance?
Answer
IGOs (UN, WTO, IMF, regional bodies), treaties and courts, and non-state actors like NGOs, companies and expert networks.
Question
Why is climate change a good example of global governance?
Answer
No state can fix it and there is no world government, so states cooperate through agreements and norms — but enforcement is weak.
Question
What is a balanced view of global governance?
Answer
It enables real cooperation on shared problems, but is limited by weak enforcement because no body can compel a powerful state.
Question
How does global governance link to sovereignty?
Answer
It works around, not above, sovereign states — cooperation and rules that states agree to, rather than a ruler over them.
Read the notes
Full study notes for Global governance and international law
Topic 1.6 hub
Interdependence
More from Topic 1.6
All flashcards in this topic
Global Politics exam skills
Paper structures & tips
Track your progress with spaced repetition
Sign up free — Aimnova tells you exactly which cards to review and when, so you remember everything before your IB exam.
Start Free