Week 6 Post Debate

I enjoyed the debate, and was really sad to see that there weren't enough people to put together a full debate during class. While I was part of the 'wrong' side in arguing that fundamental change in the international order is possible, I did come away from the experience learning that while I still believe that fundamental change in the international order is not common or likely, I now understand that change can and does occur in extraordinary times. 

I understand now that fundamental change requires a shift in the basic elements of the international order. While international actors have long been, sovereign, rationally driven, and with a drive to survive, their basic unit of measurement has changed radically, from families to tribes, to city-states, to nations. These changes are almost exclusively driven by external threats, and it seems that without these threats change is not seriously considered.

I still see that the majority of the changes viewed as 'fundamental' are not truly fundamental. Even my example above (changes in units of measurements) is the continuation of a slow, steady movement towards integrating more and more people together whether through conquest or treaty. And even this steady march has slowed in recent years as regional integration has faltered (as the result of perceived threats to internal sovereignty and prosperity).