GP essay question guide
Should national interests come before global cooperation?
National interest and cooperation are not always opposites. A strong answer tests bargaining power, dependence, shared risks, domestic legitimacy, and the distribution of gains.
Topics: Politics and Governance, Economics, Environment and Climate
Three argument directions
Cooperate for mutual gain
Regional rules and infrastructure can expand markets and solve problems that cross borders.
Qualification: Aggregate gains can hide unequal dependence and domestic losses.
Protect essential capacity
States may need safeguards for security, resilience, workers, or environmental standards.
Qualification: Protection can become permanent rent-seeking and trigger retaliation.
Use accountable compromise
Cooperation is more durable when national institutions explain trade-offs and share gains fairly.
Qualification: Transparency does not remove power differences between states.
Six examples to compare
Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone
Singapore and Malaysia deepened regional economic cooperation through a shared investment and cross-border business zone. Student link: first jobs, wages, prices, opportunity, and who gains from growth.
Possible essay use
Regional cooperation can expand economic opportunity by combining neighbouring markets, infrastructure, and capabilities.
Limitation
The agreement's aims do not prove realised investment, smooth implementation, or equally distributed gains.
Case or source date: 2025-01-07
Source: Ministry of Trade and Industry
ASEAN Concludes Digital Economy Agreement Negotiations
ASEAN Member States concluded negotiations on the Digital Economy Framework Agreement in May 2026. Student link: first jobs, wages, prices, opportunity, and who gains from growth.
Possible essay use
ASEAN Member States concluded negotiations on the Digital Economy Framework Agreement in May 2026.
Limitation
Concluded negotiations do not show ratification, implementation, or equally distributed gains among firms and countries.
Case or source date: 2026-05-29
Source: Ministry of Trade and Industry
EU Carbon Border Adjustment Enters Its Definitive Phase
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism moved into its definitive regime in 2026 for covered carbon-intensive imports. Student link: first jobs, wages, prices, opportunity, and who gains from growth.
Possible essay use
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism moved into its definitive regime in 2026 for covered carbon-intensive imports.
Limitation
The mechanism may reduce carbon leakage but creates reporting costs and trade tensions, especially for developing exporters.
Case or source date: 2026-01-01
Source: European Commission
Nations First or World Together?
The COVID-19 pandemic showed tension between national self-interest (vaccine hoarding) and global cooperation (COVAX). This highlights choices leaders make.
Trade Wars: Protectionism vs. Free Trade
Governments face a choice: protect local industries with trade barriers or embrace global free trade. This decision impacts jobs, prices, and international ties.
BRI: Global Connector or Power Play?
China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) sparks debate: Is it boosting global development or a play for geopolitical dominance and creating debt traps for developing nations?