When states are forced to operate in an environment that suits an NGO's interests better than the states" themselves, it becomes evident there is more than one actor in the negotiations. .
Governments are often behind when it comes to addressing new issues and concerns in the international arena. Most problems concerning international politics include terrorism, money, disarmament, information, pollution, and popular culture (Mathews). These areas are where a majority of NGOs are found. It is not a coincidence that the most important issues within the international arena are also those with some of the most well known NGOs. Security may be the most important issue of our time. Groups dealing with security issues include the Institute of World Affairs (IWA), the International Crisis Group (ICG), and the International Peace Academy (IPA). With at least 26,000 non-governmental organizations, it is easy to believe there is some form of group out there for about every concern politicians deal with in the international arena. Robert Putnam laid out a model showing how there is a two-level game being played when diplomats negotiate with other nations. His model demonstrated Level I as the "bargaining between the negotiators, leading to a tentative agreement"; meanwhile, Level II was defined as the "separate discussions within each group of constituents about whether to ratify the agreement" (Putnam 436). Putnam's article was published in 1988, a time before the enormous rise in the NGO phenomenon. When he wrote this, Putnam's "constituents" within Level II were probably limited to the Legislature and what they would do when the negotiator brought the proposal to them. This is a prime example of how the power has shifted away from the state to the non-governmental organizations. Today, the Level II games give the negotiator more than just the President, the House, and the Senate positions to consider while making a deal.