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#COVID19 poses a global threat to health.
So why is there no comprehensive, multilateral, cooperative response to the threat?
Is it because of...
- Leaders?
- State characteristics?
- The "Structure" of the International System?
[THREAD]
So why is there no comprehensive, multilateral, cooperative response to the threat?
Is it because of...
- Leaders?
- State characteristics?
- The "Structure" of the International System?
[THREAD]
To be clear, this thread is not about the international response to the economic crisis caused by how states are responding to #COVID19.
The economic response is pretty much, "Go to Fed. Pick up $$$$$$$" (cc @dandrezner). https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1243172840272265219
The economic response is pretty much, "Go to Fed. Pick up $$$$$$$" (cc @dandrezner). https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1243172840272265219
That response appears to be validating Charles Kindleberger https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1135146657463619586
But with respect to the health threat posed by #COVID19?
Let's go through one factor at a time:
(1) leaders
(2) state characteristics
(3) system structure
Let's go through one factor at a time:
(1) leaders
(2) state characteristics
(3) system structure
1) Let's start with leaders.
Can't talk about ALL leaders, so let's focus on the one garnering most of the attention: @realdonaltrump
After all, his performance has been well documented.
Can't talk about ALL leaders, so let's focus on the one garnering most of the attention: @realdonaltrump
After all, his performance has been well documented.
He went from saying "this isn't really worth talking about"... https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1236975196642390022
...to now making discussions of it one of his favorite daily activities https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1244320570315018240
Of course, he is just one leader in the US who is important for responding to the crisis.
Governors have been critical, like @JBPritzker (which @chicagosmayor described bluntly)... https://twitter.com/chicagosmayor/status/1241770683090206721
Governors have been critical, like @JBPritzker (which @chicagosmayor described bluntly)... https://twitter.com/chicagosmayor/status/1241770683090206721
... Cuomo https://www.cbsnews.com/news/andrew-cuomo-coronavirus-new-york-health-care-workers-covid-19/
One could say that the real action is even further down, at the county level https://twitter.com/austinlwright/status/1248763450895065088
This might be why a recent survey question I posed is generating the following results
But that is all about the domestic response. What about leaders and international cooperation, a la Rathbun and @jkertzer in @World_Pol? https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/world-politics/article/fair-is-fair-social-preferences-and-reciprocity-in-international-politics/93592DB517B278BE0FB31AE664CF121D
Well, it hasn't helped that @realdonaldtrump keeps referring to #COVID19 as the "China virus" . That surely made it difficult for the US and China to work together https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1239685852093169664
(2) Let's now consider states.
More precisely, do the characteristics of nation-states, most notably their system of government (i.e. "regime type"), explain international response to the crisis?
More precisely, do the characteristics of nation-states, most notably their system of government (i.e. "regime type"), explain international response to the crisis?
This is a topic of LONG interest to IR scholars, and a recent @IntOrgJournal piece by @ProfSaunders & @dshyde has injected life back into this topic https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-organization/article/recapturing-regime-type-in-international-relations-leaders-institutions-and-agency-space/E1CD35C02F0A247A67D9E7BE361A5FC7
In the case of #COVID19, folks want to know if democracies or autocracies performing "better"? https://twitter.com/demdigest/status/1247916616131772424
There is some suggestive evidence that democracies are better at reporting cases... https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1242932742897242114
...which is a point @kroenig raises in a recent @TheAtlantic piece https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/04/why-china-ill-equipped-great-power-rivalry/609364/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
Related to this, @Republik_Baru points out that, overall, democracies seem better poised to protect their citizens from #COVID19 https://indonesiaatmelbourne.unimelb.edu.au/is-democracy-a-help-or-a-hindrance-in-fighting-pandemics/
He identifies three factors as important:
But most of the above discussion focuses on the domestic response. What about international cooperation?
To be clear, bilateral assistance has been offered by democracies... https://www.state.gov/u-s-foreign-assistance-in-response-to-the-covid-19-pandemic/
...and non-democracies https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/02/politics/russia-medical-supplies-us-propaganda/index.html
And there has been regional pooling of resources, such as by @NATO https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1245676767723106304
But pooling of resources in a comprehensive, multilateral effort appears to be lacking https://twitter.com/smsaideman/status/1240377100546256898
Most evident is the sidelining of the @WHO https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1247540701291638787
This matters because the @WHO is well positioned to help coordinate a global response https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1240600125669609477
But the @WHO hasn't been able to fully perform this function, especially early in the crisis https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1246418500152963073
Is this because "mixed dyads" (i.e. a democracy and a non-democracy) tend not to cooperate well with one another (a la @hvm1 in @IntOrgJournal)? https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-organization/article/why-democracies-cooperate-more-electoral-control-and-international-trade-agreements/ED2F62977DDD9FF6C5E0F5A15359E230
(3) Let's now consider the international system.
In other words, could the global distribution of power possibly explain the lack of comprehensive, multilateral effort to stop COVID19?
In other words, could the global distribution of power possibly explain the lack of comprehensive, multilateral effort to stop COVID19?
At its most basic, we've known for a long time that international cooperation is hard simply because you have a bunch of independent, sovereign states. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/world-politics/article/achieving-cooperation-under-anarchy-strategies-and-institutions/706B24B2FB4525D661BEB5E954D6DC49
But "structural theories" of international politics, meaning those that focus on the distribution of power in the international system, typically focus on the behavior of the major powers.
In this case, the US and China have been involved in "blame shifting" rather than "cooperative balancing" against the threat of #COVID19 https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1238466631933874177
The two sides appear to be seeking "relative gains" against one another. That's an idea most commonly associated with Neorealism https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/absolute-and-relative-gains-in-international-relations-theory/0018BA1A141FE29A522EEDAA2A75826E
It should be noted that, Russia, which is not on the same level in terms of power, is just sitting back letting the two sides take shots at one another https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1247852604547371008
So, where does all of the above leave us at the moment?
Seems state characteristics and system structure have a lot going for them in terms of explaining the international response to the crisis.
Seems state characteristics and system structure have a lot going for them in terms of explaining the international response to the crisis.
One might wish to place more weight on structure or on domestic institutions (as the exchange b/w @mchorowitz & myself), but neither can be totally dismissed. https://twitter.com/mchorowitz/status/1248787107352625152
In sum, "global distribution of power" and "democracy & non-democracies" both help explain the lack of international cooperative response to a global threat.
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