Political norms

The big idea: A political norm is a shared expectation of what is acceptable behaviour. It is an unwritten rule most actors follow because it is expected — not because a police force makes them.

Not all rules are written laws. Much of global politics runs on norms — shared standards of 'how things are done'. Break one openly, and you face outrage and lost trust, even if you break no law.

• Non-intervention — states should not interfere in each other's internal affairs.
• Human rights — the growing expectation that states should respect their people's rights.
• The taboo against chemical weapons — using them is treated as beyond the pale.
• Diplomatic immunity — diplomats are protected, not arrested.

Norm vs law: A law is written down and (in theory) enforced; a norm is a shared expectation enforced by reputation and outrage. Many norms later become laws — but a norm can shape behaviour long before any law does.

A clear example of a powerful norm is the taboo against chemical weapons — the shared belief that using them is unacceptable, whatever the situation.

Case study — the chemical-weapons taboo: For decades, a strong norm has held that chemical weapons must never be used. When a state does use them, it triggers global outrage, condemnation and pressure — showing how powerful the shared expectation is.

But the norm is not unbreakable. Some states have used chemical weapons, and outrage did not always stop them. That shows a norm's fragility: it is strong, but it can be broken and, if enough break it, it can erode.

The key point: A norm's power is social, not physical: it works by making an act seem shameful and illegitimate. That is real power — but it depends on most actors upholding it, so a norm can be weakened when the powerful defy it.

So how powerful are norms in global politics? Weigh both sides.

Link it up: Norms are the constructivist idea: shared beliefs shape what states think is appropriate. In an answer, show how a norm guides behaviour through legitimacy and shame — powerful, but fragile if the strong defy it.

How political norms come up in Paper 1: A Paper 1 source might show an unwritten rule of behaviour at work. Remember that norms are expected ways of acting that guide states even when no law forces them.

Easy marks to lose: 1. Confusing a norm with a law. A norm is an unwritten shared expectation.



2. Saying norms are all-powerful. The strong can break them.



3. No real example. Use the chemical-weapons taboo.



4. Forgetting norms can erode. They weaken if enough actors defy them.