Klein Blog Post 2

 Reed Klein

Professor Shirk

POLS 170: International Politics

3/2/22

The balance of power in international politics works eerily similar to the balance of power between corporations in our world markets. In the same way that some argue that America and China are the two most powerful nations in the world, Pepsi Co and Coca-Cola Company are considered the two biggest soda companies in the world. While there have been times in the world of Bipolarity (today), Unipolar (the peak of the British Empire), and so on. This is such a fascinating comparison because as the balance of power between nations has changed over time, so does each industry itself have a shifting balance of power. In the clothing world, there are quite a few big companies along with tons of family businesses. Our world works the exact same way. There always have and always will be a few powerful nations, but it does not mean that the smaller ones cannot and will not do great things. Even though there is something to be said about how powerful the American military is, there are also people who are very impressed with Finland's healthcare system. In the exact same way I can love the wallet I bought at Louis Vuitton, I can also buy a hat from my friend's business as well. This may as well be a comparison in the eyes of a capitalist system, but capitalist, socialist and communist systems all have to interact to make the world go round, from large corporations, chain companies to small businesses, this sort of balance of power is relevant in everyday society. I may not be involved in international relations, but the mechanisms at which it functions I see in my everyday life as well. It is also such a fascinating phenomenon the way a country or company can rise up, the way that China is such a dominant power in Asia, something that could never have been dreamt of 15 years ago, the same way TikTok dominates the social media sphere after not existing just 5 years ago. As well as this the same way things rise up the same way they can fall down. A relic of the past like Blockbuster, a company that was so damn popular in the early 21st century, literally does not exist anymore, and you know what else does not exist anymore the Roman Empire. My fascination with how the power dynamics of our world's most important institutions really is something that I can never stop gloating about. To our ancestors that lived hundreds of years ago, there shocked out how many things have changed and or do not exist or are entirely different is so fascinating. Even in our lifetime nations come and go, companies try and fail, people go from loved to hate, and that really is the beauty of our world. Anyone can be successful whether it be through luck, determination, hard work, or a combination of them all. However, by the time something finds success, it can just as quickly fall right back down.