Social Conflict: The Case of North Korea - Essay Example

Social Conflict and International Relations: The Case of North Korea's Nuclear Missile Buildup The recent actions of North Korea with regards to its nuclear missile testing had spurred worldwide attention and condemnation of such actions. The attempt created once again an atmosphere of uncertainty and hostility not only to the Asia Pacific Region but also to the rest of the world. Thus, recently, there had been efforts by both international organizations and the international community to pursue sanctions to the North. This paper will look into the probable reasons behind the occurrence of such an event. The case of Nuclear Testing of King Jong Il's regime and how it has severed diplomatic ties and created criticism in the international community. The paper will use the conceptual theory of social conflict in addressing the conflict. The first part of the paper will talk about the background of the conflict, which are the actors and how it has escalated conflict. After the elaboration of the source of conflict, the theoretical background that will be used in the paper will be discussed. Then, the paper will present it's analysis of the situation and afterwards conclude based on the data gathered regarding the issue. Root of the Problem There had been speculations before the actual nuclear testing that North Korea will pursue its aim of nuclear buildup despite efforts by the international community and organizations to sustain such actions on the benefits of aid and threats of sanctions. Finally, after a series of speculations, North Korea reportedly launched its nuclear test missile last October 9 2006. (GlobalSecurity.org, 2006) The North Korean government reportedly launched the nuclear test missile in the North Hamkyung province at about 10:36 AM. (GlobalSecurity.org, 2006) The nuclear test brought about huge condemnation from the International Community. Thus, immediate attention was brought about by important states in East Asia. Furthermore, they stressed to important international agencies of the need to press sanctions against North Korea. This includes the United States, Japan, and the European Union. Nuclear Test: Justifiably legal or not When North Korea initiated its bid to test its nuclear missile, the international community was appalled and shocked of its actions. Not only will it increase conflict between neighboring states but it also exemplified non-compliance with the existing rules and laws with regards to nuclear proliferation. Not only did North Korea violate different laws and existing rules but it has also not upheld multilateral agreements between different states. Currently there are different treaties that advocates Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons among these treaties are (1) Partial Test Ban Treaty, (2) Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and (3) Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. (Le Mon, 2006) Unfortunately, North Korea only acceded to only one treaty which is the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which during the year 2003 withdrew its support for such. (Le Mon, 2006) It can be seen that the actions of North Korea is not justifiably legal on the purpose of certain provisions and rules violated by the country. (Le Mon, 2006) Also during 2005, North Korea was a member of the six round party talks to promote Non Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and further abandoning plans of continuing its nuclear programme. (Le Mon, 2006) Thus it can also be seen that North Korea has also violated this talks with the six states. Another important thing to mention is the role of the United Nations Security Council in which North Korea is also part of. Furthermore, the tenets mandated by United Nations Charter clearly show violations of the North with regards to the threat to international peace and security. (Le Mon, 2006) Thus, the United Nations also has the ability to provide the necessary sanctions on its prerogative whether the actions of the North is a clear violation of the tenets and rules mandated by the UN Charter. Social Conflict Explained After giving the background of the conflict, the paper will try to explain the important theory that will be used as an analysis of the crisis in North Korea. This includes its important tenets and its explanation of how conflict is created and resolved. Social conflict theory is said to be a strand of the Marxist theory elaborated by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. However, it requires thorough understanding of the subject for it presents two major problems. (Stroup, 1965, p.413) The first problem reflects on how complex the problem is and the second one refers to ways of finding the proper tools and guides for research. (Stroup, 1965, p.413) During the pre-war years say that social conflict says that war is existent and can hold to be true in the area of international relations. (Stroup, 1965, p.414) However, during the aftermath of the First World War, this notion was altered and new questions were now raised on how the instance of war should be looked upon. Moreover, the factors affecting the escalation and decline of conflict grew in numbers which included political, economic, social, cultural and other important factors. (Stroup, 1965, p.414) Then there is the analysis of Georg Simmel with regards to the issue of social conflict. Simmel analyses about the conflict focuses on getting the important criteria's for the formation of conflict among actors. (Turner, 1975, p. 619) It can be seen that Simmel's analyses is just primarily based on extracting the factors that affect and contribute to the escalation of conflict which somehow characterized as being lax and passive. (Turner, 1975, p. 619) Also, Simmel points out that conflict are existent in social systems. Furthermore, he pointed out that social conflict cannot be seen only in the way an actors interests/s are clashed but also on the actors innate characteristics to pursue conflict. (Turner, 1975, p. 619) Simmel sees and operates on social conflict with the assumptions that it is a connection and interaction between associative and disassociative processes, how the actor reacts to conflict based on the instinctive sense, conflict is seen to be a by-product of differentiated interests and instinct, conflict is evident and expected, and conflict serves as a tool for the maintenance of the system. (Turner, 1975, p. 619) Another important contributor to the issue of social conflict is Karl Marx. To Marx, social conflict is necessary to bring about change in the social systems which exemplify inequality and exploitation. (Turner, 1975, p. 619) Among social systems, Marx sees them to exemplify certain criteria that lead to conflict. Difference of interests and unequal distribution of resources are reasons that lead to social conflict which in turn creates violence which can create changes in the present system. (Turner, 1975, p. 619) Analysis Before addressing the issue of nuclear test of North Korea, it must be first established what kind of social institution that the state is under. This is to see that the actions of the state are manifested by the principles it upholds. It can be seen that the separation of the sing Korean peninsula was a by-product after the Second World War. It can be traced in history that when Japan was defeated, the victors of the war US and the former Soviet Union split the Korean peninsula, the North being part of the Soviet Union and South Korea was held under US control. (Kang, 1995, p. 253) Thus, the ideologies shared by the two superpowers were imbedded in the structural systems of the two countries. The political system of North Korea has remained to be communist and socialist in orientation up to now even if its comrades and counterparts had given up such ideologies. (Snyder, 2000-2001, p.517) Its regime can be classified as dependent on foreign aid, expansionist and its aggressiveness to South Korea. (Park, 2000-2001, p.536) Furthermore, the country is broke, in huge debt, people going hungry while its leaders pursue nuclear buildup. (Kang, 1995, p. 254) After seeing the current setup present in the North, the paper will try now to analyze how the issue of conflict analysis applies to the issue of nuclear proliferation. The paper will point out the issues of conflict analysis based on the premises mentioned by both Simmel and Marx. Nuclear Build-up: Ideology It can be seen in one of Simmel's premises that conflict arouses from different social factors in the environment. The first one that will be looked upon is the issue of political factor. Since North Korea has been described as being an expansionist and aggressive state, its foreign policy as well as its domestic policy is to maintain its military prowess in the East Asian region. Furthermore, the acquisition of nuclear arms ensures the fulfillment of such tasks. It resides with the logic that with a nuclear capable state equals more power in the international arena thus creating more power to promote the country's own personal interest. Using Simmel's analysis of social conflict, North Korea's nuclear test can serve as a disassociating process to be able to address the world that it is capable of producing nuclear weapons. On the other hand, for the rest of the international community this will serve as a moment for what Simmer's refer to as associative process. Important actors would want to restore the status quo that is why they would want to resort to measures to appease and entice North Korea to discontinue production and further testing. Another issue that is linked with this is globalization. The ability of goods to be transported elsewhere and improvement of modes of communication is a viable feature of globalization. (Rodrik, 1997, p.2) This led to North Korea acquiring the appropriate technological advantage it needs to pursue its plan. Having a different ideology from the rest of the international community led to it isolating itself and making ends meet by relying on agreements and aids from other countries on the condition of North Korea not doing anything fishy. In response to Marx ideas, the conflict that arose between North Korea and the International community was the concept of different ideologies. The idea of North Korea suffering from inequitable distribution of goods, led its way to promote the use and build-up of nuclear weapons so that it can help address the need for change in the international arena. Furthermore, it seeks to change the international system to create a better system that can address the inequitable distribution of goods and services. Conclusion North Korea has been drastically suffering from the way its leaders are functioning. Seeking to promote nuclear build-up and proliferation rather than the sustenance of the economy and society as a whole would only make the problem more detrimental. Moreover, its non-compliance to the different rules given mandated by the international community would only lead to sanctions and further deterioration of the economy. Yes having nuclear weapons is a plus and a value-added in a country's promotion of foreign policy however going at it to the extreme and disregarding the needs of the citizens and the economy could prove to be disastrous. Thus, the state though it promotes a socialist ideology must uphold the rights and benefits of its citizens. As long as North Korea's remains persistent in its aim for nuclear build-up, the international community would continue to pressure it to stop by giving sanctions and thus creating conflict. References Global Security.Org (2006). Nuclear Weapon Testing. Retrieved November 23, 2006, from http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/dprk/nuke-test.htm Kang, D.C. (1995). Rethinking North Korea. Asia Survey, 35(3) Retrieved November 23, 2006, from http://links.jstor.org/sicisici= 0004-4687%28199503%2935%3A3%3C253%3ARNK%3E2.0.CO%3B2-8 Le Mon, C.J. (2006) International Law and North Korean Nuclear Testing. ASIL Insight, 10(27) Retrieved November 23, 2006, from http://www.asil.org/insights/2006/10/insights061020.html Park, K. (2000-2001). North Korea's Defensive Power and US-North Korea Relations. Pacific Affairs, 73(4) Retrieved November 23, 2006, from http://links.jstor.org/sicisici=0030-851X%28200024%2F200124%2973%3A4%3C535%ANKDPAU%3E2.0.CO%3B2-S Rodrik, D. (1997). Globalization, Social Conflict and Economic Growth. Retrieved November 23, 2006, from http://ksghome.harvard.edu/drodrik/global.pdf Snyder, Scott. (2000-2001). North Korea's Challenge of Regime Survival: Internal Problems and Implication for the Future. Pacific Affairs, 73(4) Retrieved November 23, 2006,fromhttp://links.jstor.org/sicisici=0030-851X%28200024%2F200124%2973%3A4%3C517%3ANKCORS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P Stroup, M.J. (1965). Problems of Research on Social Conflict in the area of International Relations. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 9(3) Retrieved November 23, 2006, From http://links.jstor.org/sicisici=0022-0027%28196509%299%3A3%3C413%3APOROSC%3B2-7 Turner, J.H. (1975). Marx and Simmel Revisited: Reassessing the foundations of Conflict Theory. Social Forces, 53(4) Retrieved November 23, 2006, from http://links.jstor.org/sicisici=0037-7732%28197506%2953%3A4%3C618%3AMASRRT%3E2.0.CO%3B2-S Read More