Citation:
Abstract:
The twentieth century has seen a major innovation in the context of international politics: the institutionalization of interactions between sovereign states. While this process has seen its ebbs and flows, successes and failures, over the last hundred years, the trend toward institutionalization now seems entrenched and shows no signs of abating. If anything, experiences since the end of the Cold War suggest that states value the institutionalization of their relations ever more highly. New studies show that while many international organizations die every year, new ones are being created at an even faster rate (Shanks et al., 1996). The trend toward institutionalization is not accidental, or something that is being imposed on reluctant governments; it is the result of government choice. This paper examines the state strategy of institutionalization, asking about the causes and consequences of increasing reliance on international institutions throughout the globe.