IB Global Politics Topic State, National and Local…

State, National, and Local Governments, and Agencies

National governments prioritize development to ensure legitimacy, stability, and improved living standards. Development aims differ by country:
1. US: job creation and economic growth.
2. China: high-quality socialist development.
3. South Africa: education, healthcare, infrastructure.
Governments address:
1. Domestic development
2. Global poverty reduction

Case study

China: Economic Growth vs. Developmental Costs

Background
- Since 1978: avg. 9% GDP growth/year
- Over 800 million lifted out of poverty (largest in history)
- Growth driven by:
- High investment
- Export-led manufacturing
- Low-cost labour
Developmental Costs
- Environmental degradation:
  - Severe air & water pollution
  - High greenhouse gas emissions
  - Damage from carbon-intensive industries
- Human rights concerns:
  - Labour exploitation
  - Unsafe working conditions
  - Excessive overtime, exposure to harmful chemicals
Key Insight
- Demonstrates trade-offs between:
  - Economic growth
  - Social justice
  - Environmental sustainability
- Raises concerns about the long-term sustainability and ethics of growth-first models

Other State & National Approaches to Development

Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo) – e.g. Finland, Iceland, New Zealand, Bhutan
Focus on social, political, environmental, and human development rather than GDP.
Strategies include:
1. Finland: Health literacy taught in schools
2. Italy: Climate education made compulsory (ages 3–19)
3. Bhutan: Uses Gross National Happiness as a development measure

Note

Development priorities vary by state, not all focus on economic growth alone.

International Development & Poverty Reduction

States also contribute externally via international development aid:
1. US: USAID historically disbursed ~$32 billion annually, but was dramatically downsized in 2025 under the Trump administration, raising questions about the future of US-led development assistance
2. EU: Over €50 billion annually
3. China: Around $2.9 billion by 2020
Much aid is classified as foreign aid, which may include:
1. Development projects
2. Humanitarian support
3. Military assistance

Active recall

If states are self-interested, why do they fund global development?

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and NGOs in Development

Key Features of NGOs/CSOs:
1. Independent from governments and commercial interests
2. Focused on humanitarian or development goals
3. Often operate with local knowledge and niche expertise
4. Not motivated by profit or political control, allowing more flexibility
5. Can highlight human rights abuses without political constraints
Limitations:
1. May rely on state funding, affecting independence
2. Operate under constraints in politically sensitive regions

Case study

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Overview:
- Neutral, humanitarian CSO operating in 100+ countries (est. 1863)
Key missions:
- Reactive: Respond to conflict and humanitarian crises
- Preventative: Reduce causes of suffering and conflict
Focus Areas (2023):
- Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Sahel, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Yemen
Key Statistics (Afghanistan, 2022):
- 6.3M medical consultations
- 13,981 households received cash aid
- 18,732 new patients (incl. 1,456 amputees)
- 362,044 physiotherapy sessions

Case study

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

Overview:
- Medical NGO active globally since 1971
- Offers long-term care and crisis response
- Focus: education, epidemics, and health access (e.g. Ebola, Haiti quake)
Strengths:
- Independent: no EU/government funding since 2016
- Avoids alignment with military actors
- Can expose rights abuses
Limitations:
- Limited funding may constrain scope and scale

Case study

COPE (Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment)

Overview:
- Small NGO working with Navajo Nation (US)
- Focus on chronic illness, healthcare equity, and food sovereignty
Strengths of Small NGOs:
- More responsive and efficient
- Deeper community trust
- Can meet development goals effectively at local level
Challenges:
- Limited reach and recognition
- Harder to secure large-scale funding
- Less access to professional networks and support

Active recall

How do CSOs and NGOs challenge traditional, state-led models of development?
Why might a government choose to fund international development aid despite acting primarily in its own national interest?
What are the implications of relying heavily on state funding for NGO independence and effectiveness?

Exam technique

Paper 1 (Source-Based, 1h15m, 25 marks)
- For Q1 (3m), identify the specific government actors and their development roles described in the source.
- For Q2 (4m), explain how the source shows government-led development - link to developmental state models, aid agencies, or fiscal policy.
- For Q3 (6m), compare how sources present government development roles - one as effective planners, another highlighting corruption or misallocation.
- For Q4 (12m), evaluate whether state-led development is effective, using sources AND examples like Singapore, Rwanda, or Scandinavian models.
Paper 2 (Extended Essay, 1h45m, 30 marks)
- Section A: Analyze specific government development policies with concrete outcomes and measurable indicators.
- Section B: Connect to themes like sovereignty, rights, or global governance for integrating essays.
- Top band (13-15) requires diverse perspectives - Washington Consensus vs. developmental state vs. participatory approaches.
Paper 3 - HL Only (Stimulus-Based, 1h30m, 28 marks)
- For Q1 (3m), analyse how the stimulus shows government engagement with a development challenge.
- For Q2b (6m), recommend government policy while addressing capacity constraints and accountability concerns.
- For Q3 (15m), synthesize case studies of government-led development across different governance models.

State, National, and Local Governments, and Agencies

National governments prioritize development to ensure legitimacy, stability, and improved living standards. Development aims differ by country:
1. US: job creation and economic growth.
2. China: high-quality socialist development.
3. South Africa: education, healthcare, infrastructure.
Governments address:
1. Domestic development
2. Global poverty reduction

Case study

China: Economic Growth vs. Developmental Costs

Background
- Since 1978: avg. 9% GDP growth/year
- Over 800 million lifted out of poverty (largest in history)
- Growth driven by:
- High investment
- Export-led manufacturing
- Low-cost labour
Developmental Costs
- Environmental degradation:
  - Severe air & water pollution
  - High greenhouse gas emissions
  - Damage from carbon-intensive industries
- Human rights concerns:
  - Labour exploitation
  - Unsafe working conditions
  - Excessive overtime, exposure to harmful chemicals
Key Insight
- Demonstrates trade-offs between:
  - Economic growth
  - Social justice
  - Environmental sustainability
- Raises concerns about the long-term sustainability and ethics of growth-first models

Other State & National Approaches to Development

Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo) – e.g. Finland, Iceland, New Zealand, Bhutan
Focus on social, political, environmental, and human development rather than GDP.
Strategies include:
1. Finland: Health literacy taught in schools
2. Italy: Climate education made compulsory (ages 3–19)
3. Bhutan: Uses Gross National Happiness as a development measure

Note

Development priorities vary by state, not all focus on economic growth alone.

International Development & Poverty Reduction

States also contribute externally via international development aid:
1. US: USAID historically disbursed ~$32 billion annually, but was dramatically downsized in 2025 under the Trump administration, raising questions about the future of US-led development assistance
2. EU: Over €50 billion annually
3. China: Around $2.9 billion by 2020
Much aid is classified as foreign aid, which may include:
1. Development projects
2. Humanitarian support
3. Military assistance

Active recall

If states are self-interested, why do they fund global development?

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and NGOs in Development

Key Features of NGOs/CSOs:
1. Independent from governments and commercial interests
2. Focused on humanitarian or development goals
3. Often operate with local knowledge and niche expertise
4. Not motivated by profit or political control, allowing more flexibility
5. Can highlight human rights abuses without political constraints
Limitations:
1. May rely on state funding, affecting independence
2. Operate under constraints in politically sensitive regions

Case study

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Overview:
- Neutral, humanitarian CSO operating in 100+ countries (est. 1863)
Key missions:
- Reactive: Respond to conflict and humanitarian crises
- Preventative: Reduce causes of suffering and conflict
Focus Areas (2023):
- Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Sahel, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Yemen
Key Statistics (Afghanistan, 2022):
- 6.3M medical consultations
- 13,981 households received cash aid
- 18,732 new patients (incl. 1,456 amputees)
- 362,044 physiotherapy sessions

Case study

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

Overview:
- Medical NGO active globally since 1971
- Offers long-term care and crisis response
- Focus: education, epidemics, and health access (e.g. Ebola, Haiti quake)
Strengths:
- Independent: no EU/government funding since 2016
- Avoids alignment with military actors
- Can expose rights abuses
Limitations:
- Limited funding may constrain scope and scale

Case study

COPE (Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment)

Overview:
- Small NGO working with Navajo Nation (US)
- Focus on chronic illness, healthcare equity, and food sovereignty
Strengths of Small NGOs:
- More responsive and efficient
- Deeper community trust
- Can meet development goals effectively at local level
Challenges:
- Limited reach and recognition
- Harder to secure large-scale funding
- Less access to professional networks and support

Active recall

How do CSOs and NGOs challenge traditional, state-led models of development?
Why might a government choose to fund international development aid despite acting primarily in its own national interest?
What are the implications of relying heavily on state funding for NGO independence and effectiveness?

Exam technique

Paper 1 (Source-Based, 1h15m, 25 marks)
- For Q1 (3m), identify the specific government actors and their development roles described in the source.
- For Q2 (4m), explain how the source shows government-led development - link to developmental state models, aid agencies, or fiscal policy.
- For Q3 (6m), compare how sources present government development roles - one as effective planners, another highlighting corruption or misallocation.
- For Q4 (12m), evaluate whether state-led development is effective, using sources AND examples like Singapore, Rwanda, or Scandinavian models.
Paper 2 (Extended Essay, 1h45m, 30 marks)
- Section A: Analyze specific government development policies with concrete outcomes and measurable indicators.
- Section B: Connect to themes like sovereignty, rights, or global governance for integrating essays.
- Top band (13-15) requires diverse perspectives - Washington Consensus vs. developmental state vs. participatory approaches.
Paper 3 - HL Only (Stimulus-Based, 1h30m, 28 marks)
- For Q1 (3m), analyse how the stimulus shows government engagement with a development challenge.
- For Q2b (6m), recommend government policy while addressing capacity constraints and accountability concerns.
- For Q3 (15m), synthesize case studies of government-led development across different governance models.

IB Global Politics State, National and Local Governments, and Agencies Notes

IB Global Politics State, National and Local Governments, and Agencies Notes

State, National, and Local Governments, and Agencies

China: Economic Growth vs. Developmental Costs

Other State & National Approaches to Development

International Development & Poverty Reduction

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and NGOs in Development

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

COPE (Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment)

State, National, and Local Governments, and Agencies

China: Economic Growth vs. Developmental Costs

Other State & National Approaches to Development

International Development & Poverty Reduction

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and NGOs in Development

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

COPE (Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment)

Core: Understanding power and global politics

Rights and Justice

Development and Sustainability

Peace and Conflict

Assessment Guides

IA Engagement Project

IB Global Politics State, National and Local Governments, and Agencies Notes

Core: Understanding power and global politics

Rights and Justice

Development and Sustainability

Peace and Conflict

Assessment Guides

IA Engagement Project

IB Global Politics State, National and Local Governments, and Agencies Notes

State, National, and Local Governments, and Agencies

China: Economic Growth vs. Developmental Costs

Other State & National Approaches to Development

International Development & Poverty Reduction

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and NGOs in Development

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

COPE (Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment)

State, National, and Local Governments, and Agencies

China: Economic Growth vs. Developmental Costs

Other State & National Approaches to Development

International Development & Poverty Reduction

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and NGOs in Development

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

COPE (Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment)