Small States as Actors of Global Politics: Mechanisms of Formation and Implementation of International Influence - The Case of Singapore

Abstract

The article examines small states as autonomous actors in contemporary world politics and addresses the gap between limited material capabilities and the ability of some small states to preserve international agency and exercise selective influence. The theoretical framework combines structural explanations of vulnerability, institutional approaches, and specialized theories of small-state strategy. Methodologically, the study is a qualitative single-case analysis of Singapore with elements of process tracing. The source base includes official documents and speeches, materials from the United Nations, ASEAN and Singaporean government agencies, official statistics, memoirs, published interviews, and academic literature in English and Russian. The empirical analysis covers ASEAN, the Forum of Small States, the Five Power Defence Arrangements, the evolution from P4 to CPTPP, Singaporean diplomatic participation in UNCLOS and BBNJ negotiations, digital-economy agreements, and Singapore’s strategy amid United States–China competition. The findings show that Singapore’s international agency is more extensive than its demonstrable influence: the strongest evidence of influence concerns coalition-building, early participation in trade-rule formation, and specialized institutional access. Small size remains a structural constraint but is not a sufficient predictor of international insignificance.

Keywords: small states; Singapore; international agency; foreign-policy influence; functional relevance.