Edward D. Mansfield and Helen V. Miller States That Economic and Political Definition of Regions
Edward D. Mansfield and Helen V. Miller States That Economic and Political Definition of Regions
Globalization has made people aware of the world in general, but it has also made
Filipinos more cognizant of specific areas such as southeast Asia.
Regionalism is often seen as political and economic phenomenon; the term actually
encompasses a broader area. It can be examined in relation to identities, ethics, religion,
ecological, sustainability and health.
Regionalism is also the process, and must be treated as an “emergent, socially
constituted phenomenon.” It means that regions are not natural or given, rather, they are
constructed and define by policymaker, economic actors and even social movement.
Edward D. Mansfield and Helen V. Miller states that economic and political definition of regions
vary, but there are certain basic features that everyone can agree on:
First: Regions are: (1) “A group of countries located in the same geographically specified
area”; or (2) “An amalgamation of two regions or combination of more than two
regions” organized to regulate and oversee flow and policy choices.
Second: Regionalizationand Regionalism should not interchange
Regionalization – refers to the regional concentration of economic flow
Regionalism –is a political process characterized by economic policy cooperation and
coordination among countries.
Countries respond economically and politically to globalization in various ways: (a) some are
large enough and have a lot of resources to dictate how they participate in process of global
integration; (2) other countries make up for their small size by taking advantages of their
strategic location.
In most cases, countries form regional alliance for –as the saying goes –there is strength in
numbers.
Countries form regional association for several reasons:
1. For military defense.
CCW Page 1
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is the most widely known defense
group. Formed during the Cold War when several Western European countries plus
United States agree to protect Europe against the threat of the Soviet Union.
Warsaw Pact, created by the Soviet Union in respond when NATO was established,
consisting Eastern Europe.
2. To pool their resources, get better return for their exports, as well as expand their
leverage against trading partners.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was established in
1960 by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Valenzuela to regulate the production
and sale of oil.
3. Countries form regional blocs to protect their independence from the pressure of
superpower politics.
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was created to pursue world peace and
international equality, nonintervention and peaceful conflict resolution. It called
itself non-aligned because the association refused to side either the First World
capitalist democracies in Western Europe and North America of the communist
states in Eastern Europe. (Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia and Yugoslavia).
NON-STATE REGIONALISM
Not only states that agree to work together in the name of single cause.
Communities also engage in regional organizing referred to as new regionalism.
New regionalism varies form:
a. Can be a tiny association that include no more than a few actors and focus
on single issue;
b. Huge continental unions that address a multitude common problem.
Organization representing this new regionalism likewise rely on the power of
individuals, non-government organizations (NGOs) and association to link up one another
in pursuit of a particular goal (goals).
CCW Page 2
New regionalism is identified with reformist who share the same values, norms,
institutions and system that exist outside of traditional, established mainstream
institutions and systems.
Their strategies and tactics likewise vary;
CCW Page 3