PALUSTRE, Louielyn P. Task No.

1 || August 14, 2018

BSA 1-01 The Contemporary World Professor Bryan C. Dayuta

World Challenges/Problems
Objectives of the Power and Influence
Regional encountered by the
Organization of the Organization
Organizations Organizations
To the east, Russia has
Since its members become more assertive with
include the US, and the illegal annexation of
several other Crimea and destabilization
prosperous nations, of eastern Ukraine, as well
To defend through
NATO has significant as its military build-up
political and military
resources. The close to NATO’s borders.
means the countries
combined wealth of
who joined the
NATO members is To the south, the security
North organization from the
more than $30 trillion situation in the Middle East
Atlantic possibility of
and their combined and Africa has deteriorated,
Treaty communist Soviet
manpower totals more causing loss of life, large-
Organization Union taking control
than 7 million troops. scale migration flows and
(NATO) of their nation. Any
The combined inspiring terrorist attacks.
attack on a member
military spending of
country is viewed as an
all NATO’s countries NATO is also confronted
attack against on them
accounts for about with the spread of weapons
all.
70% of the world’s of mass destruction,
military spending. cyberattacks and threats to
NATO is a really energy supplies as well as
powerful alliance. environmental challenges
with security implications.
OPEC represents a
If OPEC countries are
To coordinate and considerable political
unsatisfied with the price of
unify petroleum and economic force.
oil, it is in their interests to
policies among Two-thirds of the oil
cut the supply of oil so
member countries and reserves in the world
prices rise. However, no
ensure the stabilization belong to its
individual country actually
of oil markets in order members. Likewise,
Oil Petroleum wants to reduce supply, as
to secure an efficient, OPEC members are
Exporting this would mean reduced
economic and regular responsible for half of
Countries revenues. Ideally, they want
supply of petroleum to the world’s oil
(OPEC) the price of oil to rise while
consumers, a steady exports. The fact that
they raise revenues. This
income to producers the organization
issue often arises as OPEC
and a fair return on controls the
pledges to cut supply,
capital for those availability of a
causing an immediate spike
investing in the substance so
in the price of oil. Over
petroleum industry. universally sought
time, the price moves lower
after by modern
 society makes it a when supply is not
force to be reckoned meaningfully cut.
with.
In the end, the forces of
supply and demand
determine the price
equilibrium, although
OPEC announcements can
temporarily affect the price
of oil by altering
expectations. One case
where OPEC's expectations
would be altered is when its
share of world oil
production declines, with
new production coming
from outside nations such
as the U.S. and Canada.

Last April 2018, US oil

floods Europe, hurting
OPEC and Russia.
NAM has sought to
"create an independent
path in world politics
that would not result in
member States
becoming pawns in the
struggles between the
The NAM made Reassess its identity and
major powers." It
significant efforts to purpose in the post-Cold
identifies the right of
end colonialism, both War era. The movement has
independent judgment,
within their own continued to advocate for
the struggle against
Non-Aligned ranks, and among international cooperation,
imperialism and neo-
Movement struggling aligned multilateralism, and
colonialism, and the
(NAM) countries. national self-determination,
use of moderation in
Nonetheless, despite but it has also been
relations with all big
its large membership, increasingly vocal against
powers as the three
the movement is far the inequities of the world
basic elements that
from influential. economic order.
have influenced its
approach. At present,
an addition goal is
facilitating a
restructuring of the
international economic
order.
 When it comes to military
strength, each ASEAN
member state is relatively
powerless on its own.
Although ASEAN has not
fully integrated its military,
they have already begun to
collaborate on regional
security threats, like North
Korea’s nuclear program
and territorial dispute over
the South China Sea.

Environmental challenge of
During the Vietnam ASEAN is countries such
war, South East Asian as Vietnam and Philippines
As a group, ASEAN
governments formed are particularly vulnerable
is a powerhouse. It’s
an alliance to not only to climate change and
the sixth largest
secure the region already feel its impact
economy in the world,
against the threat of today. Nevertheless,
on par with the United
communism, but to member states plan to meet
Kingdom, and ahead
Association of give South East Asia a the energy demand and
of France and India.
South East cohesive voice on Cold ensure supply primarily by
The group’s fast
Asian Nations War issues. Since the making use of climate-
growth has drawn
(ASEAN) fall of Soviet Union, damaging coal. Indonesia
interest from
ASEAN has shifted its plans to build 117 new coal-
businesses. ASEAN
focus to international fired power plants by 2025.
also has the world's
trade border security Myanmar invests in coal
third largest labor
and collaboration with and gigantic hydroelectric
force of more than
neighboring countries power plants. Laos builds
600 million people.
like China and South dam on the Mekong. The
Korea. result is that Vietnam loses
water in the Mekong Dalta.
Large areas of precious
rainforest are burnt down
for palm oil plantations and
cattle feed cultivation all
over Indonesia. The smog
of these fires covers large
parts of Indonesia,
Singapore and Malaysia.
Pollution continues even
though in 2003 a smog-
agreement in the ASEAN
came into force which
should reduce forest fires,
 environmental degradation
and air pollution.
NAFTA has not had that
much large effect in the US
economy. NAFTA only
increased the US’ GDP by a
few hundreds of a percent
because relative to the total
size of the total economy,
trade with Mexico and
Canada isn’t that big.

US production in the US
has been flat, but Mexican
production in the US has
been through the roof.
Before NAFTA,
imported items were
Around the time when
taxed. After NAFTA,
NAFTA was signed, the
they weren’t. Higher
Liberalization balance between the US and
tariffs, more
particularly removing Mexico in terms of labor
expensive goods, less
tariffs of trade between became off. Mexican labor
North trade. Free trade
Canada, Mexico and is cheaper, but before
American agreements like
the United States, NAFTA that really didn’t
Free Trade NAFTA lower cost
stimulate economic matter. By the time a
Agreement for consumers. Since
growth and give the Mexican product made it
(NAFTA) the agreement, US
NAFTA countries across the border, it’d be
trade with Mexico and
equal access to each slapped with tax. So
Canada has tripled.
other’s markets. Mexican manufacturers
US trade deficit with
were never really a threat
Canada and Mexico
and certain industries in the
has increased
US were heavily protected
significantly.
by taxes. As a result of
NAFTA, those tariffs went
all the way down to zero
over ten years and that
meant that it was much less
appealing to do
manufacturing of that good
in the United States and
those jobs basically
disappeared. Cheaper
Mexican labor means the
jobs go to Mexico but
changes like that affected
more than just the
manufacturing job. It was
not only the people who
worked in the factories that
lost their jobs but even the
people surrounding.
PALUSTRE, Louielyn P. Task No. 2 || August 14, 2018
BSA 1-01 The Contemporary World Professor Bryan C. Dayuta

Challenges/Problem
s encountered by the
Foreign & country (Economic,
Country Educational System
Economic Policies Political,
Environmental and
Cultural)
Foreign Policy: 1. North Korea
 Children who have their 6th
1. Making proactive
birthday on or before April 1
contributions to North Korea's leader
enter the first grade of
peace Kim Jong-Un has
elementary school of that
year. threatened to "sink"
With regards to Japan into the sea and
 School year starts in April
making proactive blasted two missiles
and ends in March.
contributions to over the northern
 For Japanese nationals, six
peace, Japan doesn’t island of Hokkaido in
years at elementary school
have a strong the space of less than a
and three years at junior
military power, and month.
high school (total nine
the psychology of
years) are compulsory.
the Japanese general Both launches
 Although foreign nationals
public is such that prompted emergency
are not subject to Japanese
they have no desire evacuation orders but,
compulsory education, they
to get involved in a with so little time to
may enter local
war situation. And seek shelter, many
elementary/junior high
so Japan attempts to Japanese feel a sense
Japan schools if they wish.
contribute to peace of helplessness in the
 Some public elementary,
in a larger context, a face of the
junior high or high schools
more unpredictable threat
have developed an
comprehensive from Pyongyang.
environment to accept
approach to peace.
foreign nationals and/or Abe has steadily
Japan is looking at
Japanese children returning upgraded Japan's
peacebuilding to
from abroad. Contact the military to counter the
achieve sustainable
municipal office in the ward North's threat, saying
peace in post-
(or city, town or village) the time for talk is over
conflict regions by
where you reside for more and urging the
comprehensive
information. international
efforts including
 After graduating from junior
peacekeeping, community to apply
high school, children may more pressure on the
emergency
choose to continue their hermit state.
humanitarian
education to high school and
assistance,
then to university or to find Adding to the friction
promotion of peace
employment. between the nations is
and reconciliation
processes,  Elementary schools, junior simmering anger in
reconstruction and high schools, high schools, Japan after North
development. All of technology colleges, junior Korea admitted to
this in the belief that colleges, universities and kidnapping 13
without the proper graduate schools in Japan Japanese nationals in
construction of are national, public or the 1970s and 1980s to
development, peace private institutes. train its spies.
cannot be  Special schools are available
sustainable. for physically/mentally- Many Japanese
challenged children who suspect more people
Japan also may have difficulty in have been kidnapped
participates in studying at general schools. and kept alive in North
peacekeeping Korea.
operations, though it
doesn’t do so On the other side of the
unilaterally, but by conflict, North Korea
seeking partners for says Japan has not
these operations. sufficiently atoned for
Japan is also its brutal 35-year
involved in colonial rule of the
measures against Korean peninsula until
piracy off the Coast the end of World War
of Somalia and in II.
the Gulf of Aden.
2. Demographic time
Japan also is also bomb
committed to
The most pressing
disarmament and
domestic issue for
non-proliferation,
Japan is a ticking
and adheres to all
demographic time
legal instruments
bomb that affects all
related to these
areas of life from the
issues, such as the
economy to society.
Treaty on the Non-
Proliferation of Japan is on its way to
Nuclear Weapons becoming the world's
(NPT), the first "ultra-aged"
Biological Weapons country, meaning
Convention (BWC) more than 28 percent
and the Chemical of its population will
Weapons be over 65.
Convention (CWC).
Japan is also a Very low birthrates
member of the Non- and an expanding
proliferation and elderly population
Disarmament mean a shrinking
Initiative (NPDI) workforce is having to
and the Nuclear pay for the ballooning
Suppliers Group cost of welfare.
(NSG) and so on,
and regularly Despite a labour
cooperates with the shortage, wages have
International not risen in a
Atomic Energy meaningful way. This
Agency (IAEA), has tempered domestic
whose current consumption, forcing
Director-General, policymakers to dish
Mr. Yukiya Amano, out a generous
is Japanese. Japan stimulus package to
has been very active safeguard the fragile
in promoting an economy.
additional protocol
for greater The mix of problems
safeguards in has pushed many
nuclear facilities young people to
alongside the IAEA. postpone marrying and
Furthermore, since starting a family, only
2015, Japan has adding to the
been attempting to demographic issue.
enlarge the scope of
possible peace The government has
cooperation done its best to
activities through encourage young
new legislation for people to have
peace and security. children and urged
firms to raise wages
2. Promoting and help employees
Japan’s National achieve a healthy
Interest work-life balance. But
the efforts have not
The second pillar of resulted in significant
Japanese Foreign changes.
Policy is protecting
As people migrate
and promoting
from the countryside
Japan’s national
to the cities, experts
interests. One of the
predict that Japan's
keys to this is the
regional communities
strengthening of the
will gradually fade
U.S.-Japan
away and urban
Alliance. “The
centres will be
unshakable U.S.-
Japan Alliance is the
cornerstone of swamped by an elderly
peace, prosperity, population.
and freedom in the
Asia-Pacific region” 3. Economic growth,
(joint statement by but slow
President Trump
and Prime Minister Japan has managed six
Abe during their straight quarters of
recent meeting in economic growth -- its
Washington, D.C.) best run in a decade --
but at a sluggish
The Japan-US annual rate of 1.3
Alliance has been percent, eking out a
the linchpin of slight gain from the 0.9
Japan’s diplomacy, percent when Abe took
and Japan and the power.
United States will
continue to further Abe has sought to pep
strengthen this up the world's third-
Alliance in all areas biggest economy with
including a high-profile blitz
technological dubbed "Abenomics",
cooperation of a combination of big
defense innovation government spending
and security and ultra-loose
cooperation in monetary policy from
cyberspace. The two the Bank of Japan.
countries agreed and
But while the policy
revised the Defense
has fattened corporate
Cooperation
profits and has sent the
Guidelines for more
stock market to a 21-
effective operations
year high, it has failed
of this alliance.
in the goal of
shrugging off the
3. Working together
deflation that has
on global issues
plagued Japan for
decades.
Japan has been
proactively 4. Ballooning debt
addressing a wide
variety of global Japanese government
issues, including debt is at the highest
poverty, climate level of any
change and other industrialised nation,
environmental
issues, disaster risk
 reduction, water and more than double the
sanitation, health, size of its economy.
education,
agriculture, inequity Experts have long
and refugees warned Japan must
through its policy shrink its debt
tools, such as mountain or face a
development sharp increase in its
cooperation (15.71 borrowing costs and
billion US dollars in even the risk of
2014). default.

Economic Policy: But Abe has continued

 Fiscal stimulus to issue new debt to
began in 2013 fund stimulus
with economic packages to prop up
recovery measures the lumbering
totaling 20.2 economy.
trillion yen ($210
billion), of which He has also delayed a
10.3 trillion ($116 second consumption
billion) was direct tax hike, a step
government economists say is
spending. Abe’s needed to rein in debt.
hefty stimulus
Most of the debt is held
package, Japan’s
by domestic, long-
second-largest
term, institutional
ever, focused on
players, shielding
building critical
Tokyo somewhat from
infrastructure
moves by fickle
projects, such as
foreign investors.
bridges, tunnels,
and earthquake- 5. Changing business
resistant roads. A culture
separate 5.5 trillion
yen boost followed Japan has struggled to
in April 2014, and keep pace with
after the December globalisation and
2014 elections, changing times,
Abe pushed especially in its once-
through another mighty corporations,
spending which now lag behind
package, worth 3.5 their foreign
trillion yen. competitors in terms of
innovation.
 The second The country's firms
arrow, unorthodo have been slow to get
x monetary women in top
policy—especially positions and have
the Bank of Japan’s struggled to integrate
(BOJ) the older population.
unprecedented
asset purchase Meanwhile, some
program—is at the traditional male-
heart of dominated
Abenomics. “It’s a boardrooms have
gigantic become scenes of
experiment in scandals, such as at
monetary policy,” Toshiba where
says the Wall executives ignored
Street Journal’s codes of sound
Greg Ip. The BOJ governance and hid
has simultaneously financial losses.
injected liquidity
into the economy (a Two high-profile
policy known as scandals at carmaker
quantitative easing, Nissan and steel
or QE) and, for the manufacturer Kobe
first time, pushed Steel -- which
some interest rates employed a young Abe
into negative -- have dented the
territory. reputation of the
formerly unassailable
Japan Inc.
 Finally, a long- Abe has attempted to
delayed program cut red tape and
of structural encourage innovation,
reform—including but critics say reform
slashing business is proceeding at a
regulations, snail's pace.
liberalizing the
labor market and Boosting immigration
agricultural sector, to reinforce Japan's
cutting corporate workforce and ease the
taxes, and population crisis is the
increasing subject of much
workforce scholarly debate but
diversity—aims to the idea has never
really gained public
support.
 revive Japan’s
competitiveness.

China
Singapore
North &
South
Korea
Indonesia
Philippine
s
India
Russia