Proposal of a problem

Explored the impact of economic cooperation between countries on political relations, particularly whether economic cooperation can bring political peace. Western liberalism believes that free trade can reduce political friction, but the economic relations between warring countries during the two World Wars did not prevent war, which has raised doubts about this view. Modern liberal institutionalist international relations scholars have proposed the concept of "interdependence", emphasizing the positive role of economic cooperation in political peace. However, the theory of relative benefits has been revised to suggest that countries focus more on relative benefits rather than absolute benefits, which may lead to confrontational relationships. Asymmetric dependence in economic relations may lead to the fragility of strategic economic sectors, such as energy and water resources. The dominant party may weaponize this dependence, causing insecurity. In addition, the "Hegemonic Stability Theory" holds that free economic relations need to be carried out within the political framework of the hegemonic power, and the decline or irresponsibility of the hegemonic power may lead to the entire system falling into trouble.

Industrial Chain and Materiality of Energy in International Relations Research

Deeply explored the importance of industrial chain and energy materiality in international relations research. Economic nationalism emphasizes the country's economic capacity and advocates for policies to protect infant and key industries and catch up. Marxist theory points out that the uneven distribution of value in the international industrial chain leads to the "core" and "periphery" positions of developed and developing countries, triggering economic crises and political corruption. New functionalism believes that European integration is the result of industrial integration and spillover effects, and the European Coal and Steel Community promotes policy adjustments and integration policy adaptation in Western European countries. The development of modern transportation and communication technology has expanded international economic relations to vertical division of labor production links, and the value of intermediate products dominates world trade. Upstream products in vertical industrial chains are crucial for downstream production, and the interdependence between countries is closer in technology and economy, but more fragile in politics and strategy. The United States pays attention to the significance of industrial chain security, and the theory of political structural power brought by production was proposed in the 1980s. The development of global industrial chains has given rise to the theory of global value chains, which explains the impact of economic activities on society and international political relations. The concept of materiality in social sciences provides a new perspective for research, and the study of energy materiality needs to be understood at the level of social sciences, focusing on the social relationship attributes brought about by energy use. The material impact of energy is extensive, including macro historical and micro daily levels. The physical properties of the energy system are important factors in energy governance and decision-making, including the physical attributes of energy resources and infrastructure, the ability of technological development to convert and control energy, the flow and scale of energy consumption, the mutual construction relationship between people and matter, and energy related social symbols. The mainstream international relations theory focuses on interpersonal and social relationships, while the starting point of material analysis is non-human and non social factors, opposing the constructivist tendency of excessive use of ideas. This study focuses on the issue of industrial chain, mainly using the basic concept of energy materiality, and using the materiality of energy resources and infrastructure as independent variables to explain political effects. There are significant differences in material properties among different types of energy, with clear distinctions between primary and secondary energy, renewable and non renewable energy. The research on the materiality of energy in the field of international relations is still in its infancy, and this study hopes to make new discoveries and breakthroughs in this area.

Three cases, indicators, and research hypotheses

Using coal, oil, and natural gas as case studies, this article explores how the materiality of energy shapes the form of the industrial chain and its impact on political outcomes. Fossil fuels have been selected as research subjects due to their long history, widespread use, and obvious cross-border characteristics. The research hypothesizes that the materiality of energy affects the form of the industrial chain, which in turn affects political outcomes. The main indicators include the economic value balance and link tightness of the industrial chain. Assuming a balanced and tight industrial chain is more likely to promote political cooperation and stability, otherwise it may lead to conflicts.

Four case tests

Coal, as a pioneer in industrial energy, has material characteristics including solid form, wide distribution, and low technical requirements, and still occupies an important position in global energy consumption. The political effect of the coal industry is relatively stable, and there has never been a large cartel alliance in history. The conflicts between exporting and consuming countries are usually resolved quickly, and it promotes international cooperation and regional integration, such as the European Coal and Steel Community. The economic value of the coal industry chain is relatively balanced, with upstream resource development and transportation costs each accounting for an important part. The industrial chain is closely linked and influenced by material factors. Coal production and transportation have strong regional characteristics, and downstream products are mainly concentrated in the power generation, steel, and building materials industries.

Five analysis: How the materiality of the industrial chain affects political effectiveness

Explored the impact of different energy materiality on the form and political effects of the industrial chain. Table 3 shows the industrial chain forms and political effects of three types of fossil fuels, revealing the uneven and loose value distribution of the petroleum industry chain, which leads to the most negative political effects. With the development of LNG technology, the natural gas industry has shown a trend towards "petrochemicals", leading to an increase in political disputes and conflicts. The uneven distribution of value in the industrial chain leads to unequal political relations between countries, supporting the theory of "asymmetric interdependence". Oil resource countries have strong bargaining power, while consumer countries find it difficult to obtain upstream resources. The transportation link in the coal and natural gas industry chain has high value, and consumer countries can enhance their political status by increasing the value of other links. The uneven distribution of economic value in the industrial chain leads to the "curse of resources" and triggers domestic and international conflicts. The loose industrial chain intensifies strategic competition in high-value links and products, making it difficult to form a stable community of interests. The tightness of the industrial chain helps to enhance the "path dependence" and locking effect, and strengthen the political community of interests. Traditional manufacturing is not prone to political disputes because the value of the industrial chain is dispersed and the links are closely connected. The industrial chain of high-tech and high value-added sectors such as the electronics industry is loose, which can easily be involved in geopolitical conflicts.

Six conclusions

This chapter explores the impact of energy materiality on the form of the industrial chain and its political effects. Research has found that the materiality of different fossil fuels leads to differences in the distribution of economic value and the degree of closeness of links in the industrial chain, which in turn affects political cooperation and peace. An industry chain with balanced value and closely connected links is more conducive to political cooperation, while an industry chain with concentrated value and loose links may lead to disputes. Research questions the theories of liberalism and neofunctionalism, and supports Marxist international relations theory. Emphasizing the importance of "materiality" in shaping international political and economic relations, it is recommended to pay attention to the value concentration links in the industrial chain in economic diplomacy, maintain a cautious attitude towards loose industrial chains, and recognize that economic cooperation does not always translate into political support.