Int'l Politics Exam 1 Review
What percent of the U.S. Government budget is devoted to foreign aid?
-1%
The Vietnam War primarily occurred during which decade?
-1960s
What is Nationalism vs Imperialism?
-19th century: Rise of nationalism and imperialism Nationalism: 'nation' is basic politic unit Imperialism: one country controls another country or territory (Colonialism) -State competition extends European imperialism over globe Spread of nationalism in Europe and beyond: -Wars of unification in Italy and germany -Breakdown of empires (Ottoman, Russia, Austro-Hungarian) -Decolonization in Caribbean and Latin America
What is the difference between "gender" and "sex"?
-A socially constructed set of ideas that are attached to genetic and physiological traits
What is a state?
-A territorial entity controlled by a government and inhabited by a population. Exercises sovereignty over its territory
Which of the following is NOT a feature of complex interdependence?
-Absence of anarchy
What is a transnational actor?
-Actors that operate below the state level and across state borders. -Multinational corporations (MNCs) -Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) - Greenpeace, Churches, IOC -International Terrorist Networks
What is International Politics?
-Alternately referred to as International Relations (IR) -Common definition: the relations between different actors in the world, the characteristics of those relations, and their consequences. -Often portrayed as a distant process carried out by elites However, Int'l Politics affects everyday life - people are often not aware of its effects
What are some critiques of realism?
-Anarchy isn't only feature of int'l politics -No sufficient cause for war -Sovereignty is evolving over time -Non-state actors matter -Domestic politics shape Int'l politics -Inability to clearly define power
The phrase "security dilemma" in international politics refers to the idea that?
-Arming for defense provokes other countries into arming
What Is the balance of power?
-Assumes states will seek to Dom. others -Other major powers will balance to counter that threat in which international stability will result -War occurs when: >States fail to correctly balance >States fail to balance quick enough (Ex. Napoleonic Wars) >States initiate war to gain power or prevent others from gaining power (Ex. Nazi Germany)
Compare and contrast liberalism and the Marxist-based theory of economic structuralism. What are the major similarities in these theoretical perspectives? What are the major differences? Do you agree with liberalism that globalization will promote greater international cooperation?
-Both understand that there is more to politics than just power, also they both know that domestic policies are important. They focus on wealth, liberalism on how to gain wealth and marx on how there is wealth inequalities. I do because it will make states more economically stable and be better off to trade with. -Liberalism and marxist based theory believe in cooperation, working together for the better of the people,While liberalism and marxist believe in cooperation, marxist had similarities to the realist theory because he believes in anarchy, classless nations.
What is surplus value in relation to Int'l Politics?
-Central concept: This is the difference in values between raw material and finished products -Workers are in charge of difference, yet owners get disproportionate share of profit, and wages are seen fixed regardless of rate added -The Ritchies get richer and the poor are left behind which increased income inequality -Owners have systemic advantage or structural power, they control means of labor and ability to use threat of replacement in curb wages which seems to result in disproportional division of profit -To understand int'l politics one must understand interest/action of capital class in a state by influencing gov't through contributions (Lobbying), Exhausting domestic opportunities, and the need to expand abroad (Lenin's theory of war) -Primary goal of gov't is keeping foreign markets open and economic exploitation -Desire to open foreign market was motivation for colonialism/imperialism
Which country is currently the largest threat to the United States?
-China and/or Russia
What are some other factors associated with the transition to modern europe?
-Christopher Columbus' discovery of 'New World' monarchs begin to consolidate political power -The 'nation-state' becomes the most efficient political system for economic exploration
What are the implications of constructivism?
-Constructivists make few predictions about int'l politics, they only emphasize ideas that matter and have no general insights as to how, when or which ideas matter -Offers explanation for changes in int'l system over time, evolution of interests identities and norms
International relations can be summarized as mix of conflict and cooperation. Which of the main theories best explains conflict in international relations? Which of the main theories best explains cooperation in international relations? Please be sure to reference both theoretical and historical evidence in answering this question.
-Cooperation: >Realism: not in states' interest to cooperate too much with others causing more conflict (Relative Gains) >Liberalism: It is in the interest of the states to cooperate (Absolute Gains)
What is the concert of Europe?
-Council of Vienna (1815): Treaty ends napoleonic wars which in turn redraws European wars, restores international stability, Reinforces sovereignty: France allowed to exist -Concert of Europe (1816-1914): Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia. Relative peace- no wars involving all major powers. Britain plays role of 'balancer'
What did Thucydides argued that war and peace are dependent on?
-Distribution of power
The concept that economics is the driving motivation behind all political behavior is called:
-Economic Determinism
Who is the current President of France?
-Emmanuel Macron
What is realism and cooperation?
-Even if all members benefit from coop. ind. self interest may not favor it -Realism argues that anarchy makes coop. very hard to achieve because of security dilemma -At best realists argue that coop. merely reflects only state self interest >States will defect from coop. once it hurts national interest -Realism: states fear relative gains made by others especially including >Situations where coop. is irrational >Simply inc. power is not enough if gains are matched by other states
What do IR and Daily Life have in common?
-Every person makes their own unique contribution to the world of int'l relations, even if it is minor -Furthermore, what we think we currently 'know' about the world is often distorted.
True or False. According to Feminist IR theory, traditional theories of international relations overestimate the prospects for cooperative behavior between international actors.
-False
True or False. Surplus value is the difference in values between the finished product and their price.
-False
Despite the emergence of critical/social theories, realism remains the dominant theoreticalperspective toward world politics. Describe the major assumptions and propositions of at leasttwo of these critical/social theories which challenge our conventional thinking on internationalpolitics.
-Feminism examines how ideas about gender shape political problems and thoughts about them. Traditional IR theory biased towards masculine ideas. Talks about how there is too much focus on power and not enough on why there is inequality and how systems are masculine and the world would be better if seen through feminine eyes. -Constructivism focuses on ideas more than material things like power and wealth. Big Ideas are Identities: who the actors are and their perceived roles , Norms: Shared expectations of behavior, + Interests: Actor's primary goals -The 4 realist assumptions are that IS is anarchic, states are primary actors in IR, states all desire power, rational actors. -States are actors meaning they promote interactions and agreements between states. -Actors are entities that participate in IR. -States also all desire power in their military, economy and geographical size.
What are some variants of feminist theories?
-Feminist empiricism: examines practical issues of women in real world: Effects of war globalization on women, ex: effects of military bases on local female pop. -Feminist standpoint theory: argues that every issue is better understood if examined from female perspective, women are not fundamentally diff. from men but the trait group associated with females are excluded from theoretical approaches to int'l politics, since Thucydides scholars confuse human nature for masculine nature -Feminist post modernism: argues all attempts to analyze politics are simply products of specific power positions, Skeptical of all claims of objective truth (ex: all explanatory theory), All claims=social constructions, All inquiry is biased by questions asked and evidence considered, All knowledge serves someones interest
What is theory?
-Generalized explanation for a set of essentially similar phenomea. This is usually generalized to explain similar events and differs from descriptions of single events -Assumes specific events are not unique or have unique causes. In which events fit into broader patterns, and there should be a commonality between events seen
How was the study of international politics born?
-Greek city-states are one of the earliest examples of international politics: 1. History of peloponesian war by Thucydides 2. War between Athens and sparta 3. 1st attempt at general understating of int'l politics Thucydides Theory: -War and peace between states depends on power - int'l politics= beyond mortality -"The strong will do what they can, and the weak will suffer what they must"
What Is a substate actor?
-Groups and interests within states that influence the state's foreign policy. Interest groups
What is a nation?
-Groups of people who share a sense of national identity (usually language, culture, history
What was seen apart of the post Cold War era (1990-2014)?
-Gulf war: Iraq occupied Kuwait -Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) -Breakup of yugoslavia -Somaila and Rwanda -September 11, 2001: Afganistan, Iraq -More peaceful than cold war -Globalization in international economic relations -China more central to world politics
What are liberalism predictions?
-Historical record should note changes in way states and other actors interact -Cooperation should be norm -Conflict should decrease over time -Certain states with low levels of measurable 'power' should wield undue influence over certain interactions
Why is understanding history critical to the study of IR?
-History provides testing ground for interpretation and evaluation of competing theories -One can only evaluate predictions or explanations from historical data *Fundamental Problems of Social Sciences: Can't Return History*
What are the levels of analysis?
-IR scholars sort out the influences, actors, and processes, and categorize them into different levels of analysis. -Different perspectives which offer possible explanations to "why" questions *Consider this question: What causes war?* Four levels of analysis in IR offer different answers: 1. Global/Structural 2. Interstate (Dyadic) 3. State/Domestic 4. Individual
Modern realist theory developed in reaction to which of the following?
-Idealism
What does 'Brexit' refer to?
-Impending departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union
What are the important dates associated with ISIS?
-In 2014, controlled 34,000 square miles in Syria and Iraq -Global terrorism network: 90 attacks in 21 countries, 1,400 deaths -By December 2017, all of former ISIS-territory liberated in Iraq -12/19/18: President Trump announces rapid withdrawal of US troops from Syria claiming that ISIS had been defeated -1/6/19: ISIS terrorist attack kills 14 people, including 4 Americans in Syrian city of Manbij -10/27/19: ISIS leader, Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi, is killed in US raid in Idlib province of Syria
What is the feminist int'l relations theory?
-Influence of this theory has inc. in recent years, is especially important in issue-oriented areas, as is the biggest in roads practice of int'l politics -Not unified, comp. theory, Offers critical lens to examine theory and practice -Examines ideas about gender and how it shapes political problems and thinking about them. -Gender=social construction, Sex=Biological -Gender: set of ideas that society has attached to biological traits -Gendered ideas distort mainstream theories, artificial distinction between male and female roles -Traditional IR Theory biased towards male ideas (ex: power, security, high vs low politics -male ideas= viewed more postivievly -Masculine (Autonomy, rationallity, aggression > Feminine (Interdependence, emotion, pacifism) - War and conflict are normal but collaboration=utopian or idealist -Distorts understanding of Int'l politics, promotes destructive behavior especially towards women, underestimates prospects for coop. behavior or altruism -Artificially divides public (Male) and private (Female) spheres
What is economic structuralism and how does it relate to Int'l Politics?
-Intended as response to liberalism and is seen as a critique from marxist tradition -Contends that economics is primary motivation in politics -Wealth= source of peer, similar to realism where power replaces wealth -Dist. of wealth shapes behavior as income inequality leads to poverty and power inequality -Central assumption: economic determinism -Economics drive motivation of political behavior in which it is assumed hat wealth converts into other resources (Fungible) -Fundamental actors in politics=classes -Capital (Bourgeoisie) and workers (proletariat) -World is divided into classes with opposing interests, class identity > Country identity as the capital seems to control the media which prevents workers from realizing class commonality -Religion and nationalism -> Opiates of masses
What is ISIS?
-Islamic State of Iraq and Syria -More accurately, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) -Islamist rebel group that once controlled major areas of territory in Iraq and Syria -Established 2006. Capitalized on the instability caused by the 2003 US invasion of Iraq and the ongoing civil war in Syria -Born from al Qaeda in Iraq - Leader is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi -Recruited throughout the world including thousands from Western democracies -Used a thoroughly modern social media platform -Group is responsible for human rights abuses and war crimes -Engaged in campaigns of ethnic cleansing (Yazidi minority) -In 2015, held as many as 3,500 people as slaves
Which country attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941?
-Japan
Who is the leader of North Korea?
-Kim Jong-un
Napoleon was the first European leader to fully tap into the military potential of nationalism after instituting:
-Levee en Masse
What are institutions and anarchy?
-Liberal institiutionalists argue that institutions are best way to overcome negative aspects of anarchy -Institutions: sets of agreed upon norms, rules and practices >Formal: treaties, laws, organizations >Informal: summits, conferences, norms -Institutions help int'l coop. by: >Monitoring (detect cheaters) >Enforcement (punish cheaters) >Coordination (dec. transaction costs) -International regimes: range of coop. activity from formal institutions to shared norms
In the early state system, national armies were primarily composed of?
-Mercenaries
What is constructivism?
-More of an approach rather than explanatory theory -Focus on factors ignored by other theories, especially on how ideas influence int'l politics -Realism, liberalism and economic structuralism are materialist theories, sees material factors as primary factors (money, territory, weapons) focus on power -Constructivism asserts that ideas have powerful roles, Material factors have role in int'l politics but influence= how we think about them -Various approaches but all focus on 3 main ideas 1. Interest: Actors primary goals, Other theories make simple assumptions about interests, constructivists examine where interest came from, Argue that interests are *socially constructed* by groups of people who decide what is good/bad and what the goals of society are, interests can change w/ little change in material factors, friends become enemies vice versa 2. Identities: Refer to who actors are and their perceived roles, other theories take identities as given, constructivists examine how identities have changed, if identities change so will interests and behaviors 3. Norms: Shared expectations of behavior, violation of a norm carries a penalty, norms shape how actors define interests, norms change over time
What are non state actors and what are the three kinds of them?
-National governments are the most important actors, but they are influenced by a variety of actors that are not states Ex: Substate actors, transnational actors and International govt. organizations (IGO's)
In international relations, anarchy means...
-No overarching authority
A shared expectation of behavior is called a?
-Norm
According to constructivists, which of the following can change over time?
-Norms, interests and identities so all the above
Who was responsible for orchestrating the September 11, 2001 attacks?
-Osama bin Laden
What was the event that codified the principle of sovereignty and the 'nation-state'?
-Peace of Westphalia
How did city states become nation states?
-Period between greek city-states and nation-states of 1600s Roman Empire: dominated int'l politics until 500 A.D. Feudal Europe: Political authority was not territorial, different levels of rulers Feudalism: political, economical, and social system in which land is the source of power -lords grant use of land to vassals and it is worked by serfs or pesants; lords swear loyalty to monarch -lords provide minimal welfare to serfs: protection, food, shelter etc... The catholic church served as an overarching authority: -Kings subordinate to pope, Pope settled disputes, Pope sanctioned conflict
What is cheating and enforcement within int'l politics?
-Possibility of cheating (Defection) is disincentive to coop. especially if survival is at stake -Coop. is more likely if cheating can be detected before threat to security -Coop. can result from rational pursuit of self interest >Sometimes only way to achieve goals is through coop. -Reciprocity: effective strategy to facilitate coop. (Tit for Tat strategy)
Based on realist assumptions, the principle cause of war between states is?
-Power inequality between states or coalitions
What is the complex interdependence theory?
-Primary feature of int'l politics since WW2 has been inc. interdependence between states -This theory rejects narrow focus on state >Expands range of influential actors and interest of actors -It also has 3 characteristics: 1. Multiple channels connect states and societies >Int'l politics is more than state to state interaction 2. Multiple issues motivate actors >Power and security not always seen as primary motivation 3. Military force not as effective as in past >In some cases, force is seen counterproductive
What are some implications of int'l politics based off the feminist theory?
-Promotes destructive behavior especially towards women -underestimates prospects for cooperation or altruism -Artifical divide between public (realm of politics and policy dominated by men) and private (realm of families traditionally confined to women). The distinction causes whole range of issues that are excluded from discussion or analysis: abuse, womens rights, children's welfare Ex: occupations for house wife vs business man
Who is the current leader of Turkey?
-Recep Tayyip Erdogan
A dependent variable is?
-Something we hope to explain
What is a nation state?
-States that consist of one predominant nation. However, some states are comprised of multiple, competing nations Example: Iraq - Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds
What word to you most associate with ISIS?
-Terrorism
Who filled the gap in authority in Europe after the fall of the Western Roman Empire?
-The Catholic Church
Which of the following is NOT a core assumption of realism?
-The Int'l System is hierarchical
The concept of "appeasement" is most commonly associated with?
-The Munich Crisis
Who were the primary allies of the United States during World War II?
-The Soviet Union and Great Britain
If liberalism is primarily concerned with international cooperation, then it should BEST describe....
-The international political economy
What Can ISIS Tell Us About Int' Politics?
-The world can be a dangerous place. Political violence is a major element affecting the daily lives of millions of people -Past U.S. military campaigns helped create problems and decline in U.S. relative power have exacerbated these problems over time -The Arab Spring (2011) has contributed to wide-spread instability throughout the region -Religious divisions (Sunni-Shiite) divide continue to dominate the politics of the Middle East (see Iran, Saudi Arabia) -International system initially struggled to overcome collective actions problems to effectively combat a threat to well-established countries (see U.S., Russia, and Europe) -Seemingly disparate problems (Iran nuclear negotiations, Russia-Ukraine War, European trade) become interconnected and affected response -Countries are not the only important actors shaping international politics -Failed states often create major, long-lasting problems -Borders are important but can be illusionary, especially in places with weak gov't control and fluid identity
Critical Theories relates how to Int'l Politics?
-These pose different answers to important questions of Int'l politics, These theories serve as critiques of both realism and liberalism 3 Main ones of these: 1. Economic structuralism (Marxism): Int'l politics is class struggle between captialists/workers 2. Constructivism (Ideas/Identities): Changes in state behavior as result of evolution of actors goals, fo cus attention on purpose of Int'l Plitics 3. Feminism: exercise of power in Int'l Politics connected to economic/political disempowerment of women
How does IR connect to ancient times?
-Throughout much of history, global politics was not global at all but rather local. -lack of tech. and comm. made it hard for interaction beyond small radius, as a result political organization tended to be limited, but as tech. changed so did political organizations. -Empires emerged as the ability to cover large distances developed. Egypitan, Persian, roman, Arab, Chinese, Man, Aztec,Incan -The political system (city-states) of ancient greece were an exception during this time period
The treaty that officially ended World War I was called:
-Treaty of Versailles
In WWI, Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Italy (until 1915) formed an alliance called the?
-Triple Alliance
True or False. For realists, concern over relative gains means that a state should reject any agreement in which they did not gain more power than the other states.
-True
Which countries' nuclear weapons capacity could inflict the greatest damage to the United States?
-United Kingdom
Liberalism believes that states seek to maximize?
-Wealth
What are International govt. organizations (IGOs)?
-World Bank, U.N., WTO, NATO
The United Nations was founded after which war?
-World War II
What are the different types of theory?
1. Explanatory: How DOES the world work? 2. Normative: How SHOULD the world work -Explanatory theory has 3 purposes. explanation, prediction and prescription Normative Theory: establish goals to pursue, examine moral and ethical concerns
What are the 4 realist assumptions?
1. Int'l system is anarchic -Absence of overarching political authority -No 'global' cop -Different from chaos 2. States are primary actors in the Int'l system -Other actors are not critical to understanding int'l politics 3. States are unitary actors -Domestic politics are ignored -As single entity, states have national interest in which policy goal becomes objectively valued to the well being of the state 4. States are rational actors which doesn't mean they always make the best decisions but they tend to have ordered preferences, and cost/benefit calculations
What are the general assumptions about liberalism?
1. Int'l system is hierarchical -Presence of an actor (hegemon) that can authoritatively enforce agreements between states >Hegemon acts like a global cop >Hegemon alleviates problems of anarchy by punishing defection and coercing cooperation >Hegemon helps enforce norms: generally observed patterns of conduct 2. States are not unitary actors -Domestic politics matter >What happens inside one state can greatly impact what happens in others -Non-state actors constrain state behavior 3. States seek to max. wealth -Great incentive to maintain peace in an interconnected world 4. Power isn't static and can vary from one issue to another -Ex. OPEC, Japan
What are realist propositions?
1. To ensure security, states seem to max power -All state action can be explained by its desire to maintain, safeguard, or inc. its power. -Power is the only means to ensure survival in anarchy -Max. power is THE rational response to anarchy 2. Dist. of power in the int'l system shapes state behavior -The Dist. of power can be described in terms of polarity which Is the # of independent power centers in the world 3. Without an overarching authority, states must rely on "self help" Strategies to max. security 4. All states relying on a "self help" creates comp. amongst other states where conflict is an inevitable outcome of state comp. 5. To ensure survival, states will try to 'balance' against powerful states -Only 2 'balancing' mechanisms 1. Alliances (external) 2. Military Buildup (internal)
What are the 4 types of polarity in int'l politics?
1. Unipolarity 2. Bipolarity 3. Tripolarity 4. Multipolarity
What are the different components of theory?
All theories include: Dependent variable: (what we hope to explain) Independent variable: (explanatory factors) Hypothesis: Empirical implications drawn from theories logical connections between variables. Predictions about the relationship between independent and dependent variables
Who were the major players in WW1?
Alliance Powers: Germany, Austira-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Italy (until 1915) Entente Powers: Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy (after 1915) US (after 1917)
What can be seen as the balance of the power system?
Anarchy is the key feature of the Westphalian int'l system -no higher political authority over ind. states -Larger states attack and absorb small states which meant a decrease in European states -Nothing to prevent war, but still limited Balance of power: -no state allowed to become too powerful -states shifted alliances and capabilities to keep balance -small armies (mercenaries) also limited power *Law of war: moral objections to unlimited war*
What is sovereignty?
Authority of state to govern itself or another state, self governing state
What is WW1?
Balkan wars increase overall tensions -Belief amongst major powers that war was "unavoidable" Assassination of Franz Ferdinand, heir to Austro-Hungarian throne, triggers chain reaction -Austria threatens Serbia -Russia backs Serbia -Germany backs Austria -France backs Russia -Britain backs Russia -'Rush' to war between the triple alliance and triple entente -New weapons and tech. plus old tactics and thinking = bloody stalemate -Trench warfare -War of attrition -Bolshevik Revolution (1917) -U.S. entry into war (1917) -Germany surrenders -15 million people killed
What can be seen as the road to WW2?
Challenges to int'l status quo: -League of Nations fails-hindered by U.S. isolationism -Manchuria (1931 -Japan), Ethiopia (1935-Italy) -Munich crisis (1938): Appeasement -Nazi soviet non aggression pact (August 23, 1939): Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact -Japanese Expansion -Nazi Invasion of Poland (September 1, 1939): France and Britain declare war on germany -Invasion of Soviet Union (June 1941) -Attack on pearl harbor (December 1941): U.S. Enters war, in which germany declares war on U.S.
What was the inter war period and what does it include?
Collective security: core principle of league of nations Economic Nationalism: Great Depression led to inc. protectionism, tariffs or trade barriers, Smoot Hawley Act, world trade collapsed and deepened depression Fascism: extreme, militant nationalism, political authoritarianism, economic centralization, ethnocentralism, Italy, Mussolini; Germany- Nazi Party and Hitler
Conflict vs Cooperation?
Conflict is a serious disagreement or argument, clash between two or more people, animals etc.. Cooperation is seen as the process of working together
What are the differences between realism and liberalism?
Cooperation: >Realism: not in states' interest to cooperate too much with others (Relative Gains) >Liberalism: It is in the interest of the states to cooperate (Absolute Gains) Domestic Politics: > Realism: All states act similar >Liberalism: Regime type (type of govt.) can shape state behavior Int'l organizations: >Realism: They do not matter, They are merely tools of state interests >Liberalism: IOs facilitate cooperation, provide an arena for communication, and redefine new norms
What was seen as the road to world war 1?
Disintegration of Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empire destabilizes Europe, Especially in Balkans Fears over 'rising' Germany inspires alliances and arms races, France seeks revenge for defeat in war of 1870
What's the power transition theory?
Explanation for largest wars (Systemic) such as Napoleonic, WW1, WW2 Wars occur when: >Rising states challenge Hegemon (top position in status hierarchy) >Hegemon engages in preventative war against rising state -Int'l politics is seen defined by successful hegemonies
What is Napoleon and national welfare?
French Revolution (1789): -Nationalism -National self-determination -Democracy Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France -Comes into power in 1799 Levee en Masse: -Innovation changed warfare -Harnessed entire French nation -By 1812, Napoleon conquers most of Europe (Napoleonic wars) -Invasion halts in Russia, other countries adopt nationalism
What was the end of the Cold War?
Late 1980s, wave of democratization sweeps across Europe -Fall of Berlin Wall (11/9/1989) -End of Soviet Union (12/25/1991) -Divided into 15 countries 1990s: period of of fragmentation and civil war -Rwanda -Somalia -Yugoslavia 2000s: Global terrorism -September 11th terrorist attacks -Invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq
Compare and contrast realist and liberal theories of international relations. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each theory? In your view, which one of the two represents a more accurate picture of today's world politics? Provide examples to support your argument.
Liberalism: • International system is hierarchical • States are not unitary actors • States are seeking to maximize wealth • Power is not static • Hegemony - global cop Realism: • The International system is in anarchy • States ARE unitary actors • States are primary actors in international relations • States are rational actors • No global cop • Oldest theory • Seek power to ensure security Critiques of Realism: • Anarchy is not a fixed feature of the international system • Non-state actors matter Critiques of Liberalism: • International system is not hierarchical (USA is no longer an unmatched superpower) • International cooperation exists as long as the nations are willing to cooperate with international institutions In my view Liberalism draws a more accurate view
What is liberalism?
More diverse body of realism -Central insight: Possible to overcome worst aspects in realist world -Counterpoint to realism and its prescriptions -Common assumption: individuals are rational and understand their interests -Liberalism argues world is contingent >Sometimes states compete for power, other times they cooperate *Cooperation = Primary feature of int'l politics* -Non state actors and domestic politics exert strong influence on int'l politics -Concerned with answering how and why states became so independent in 20th century -Interdependence: States and their fortunes are interconnected -This suggests that ways states act with one another changed in fundamental ways -This also has several variations >Liberal institutionalism >Complex interdependence >Democratic peace theory
Rest of the world?
Nation-state= most efficient political organization -External threats -> Inc. state militarization -Superior agriculture, industrial and military tech -Developed efficient treasury and tax system -Over 400 period, Europe dominated most of the world -Forcibly imposed modern state system -Colonization -> sovereign states
Realism and Liberalism fundamentally agree on?
Not cooperation Not domestic politics Not international organizations So none of the above
What is realism?
Oldest theory in int'l relations (History of peloponnesian war by Thucydides) -Modern day realism developed in reaction to idealist tradition during interwar period -Thucydides insights into int'l politics >Int'l politics about exercise of power >Dist. of power determines options of states >Humans motivated by power (Dominance) >Dist. of power causes war and peace >Int'l politics is beyond morality
What is the Cold War?
Period of hostility between two superpowers, U.S. and Soviet Union -Marshall plan, NATO, Warsaw pact -Truman Doctrine, Containment policy, Berlin crises -Korean war -Nuclear arms race -Sino-Soviet Split -Sputnick, U-2 spy plane, Bay of Pigs -Cuban Missle Crisis and mutual assured destruction (MAD) -Vietnam war -Proxy wars -Detente -'Evil' Empire, Reagan-Gorbachev summits
Which world map is generally more accurate depiction of continent size and shape? Peters or Mercator?
Peters
What is the power in realist theory?
Power is central concept of realism -necessary to obtain other goals, all states seek power in a comp. enviro. *Key Question: What is power and how do you measure it?* -Def: ability to get another actor to do what it would have otherwise not done. Power as influence=Hard to measure, Power = capabilities Sources of state power: -Military resources -Economic strength -Tech.
What is the security dilemma?
Primary motivation of states is survival -Anarchy=nothing preventing states from attack -State must rely on self help to ensure survival -State seeks power to inc. security and ensure survival Creates paradox -more powerful state becomes, more likely other states will try and inc. their power to counter -Other states driven by same concerns -In end, state will end up no more powerful than before
What is the Science of International Politics?
Skepticism regarding the 'science' of politics but consider: -Are political outcomes random? -Are there patterns in politics? -Do we form generalizations about patterns? Task of political science: -Offer explanations on patterns in behavior -Evaluate explanations General Model of Political Science: -Start with clearly defined question -Identify possible answers (hypotheses) -Probabilistic answers -Predict observed patterns for each explanation -Define and measure the key factors -Choose research method and collect evidence -Evaluate findings
What is liberal institutionalism?
Systemic level counterpoint to realism -Shares many realist assumptions (anarchy, states are primary actors, rationality) -But rethinks implications of anarchy on state behavior -Agrees that anarchy creates security dilemma >This danger creates incentive to coop. >More willing to overcome counterproductive behaviors -Int'l institutions are important >Inc. confidence that agreements will be followed
What was seen as the transition from feudalist Europe?
Tech changes: printing press, cannon, etc... -Ex: fall of Constantinople (1453) -cannon required specialized production and training which favored the largest and wealthiest lords and helped shift towards strong central powers -Rise of merchant class -Reformation (1517): most significant 'political' development of early modern European history -Reniassance: Italian city-states (Venice, Florence, Milan)
Power vs Purpose
The ability of an actor to achieve its goals, exactly what constitutes this and how to measure it are seen as vexing problems in int'l relations. Vs goals that actors pursue including national interest. Whether actors see themselves having shared or competing goals is central concern
How does one practice Political Science?
Theory and Policy: -Often a degree of uncertainty in political science theories Problems often require action before perfect answer is found: -Evaluating different arguments -Deciding on most compelling -Understanding that answers are not perfect Example: Gov'ts have different policies to combat terrorism, causes of terrorism are still uncertain, But governments still must act
What is the Westphalia system?
Thirty years war (1618-1648): series of declared and undeclared political and religious wars -Political: Habsburg Holy Roman Empire vs proto-states -Civil: modern day germany Religious: catholics vs Lutherans, calvinists (1/3 of pop. died) -Peace treaty of Westphalia (1648): -A treaty to end 30 year war -Codified principle of sovereignty in which the state has complete political authority over territory *Internal: no right to challenge rulers power *external: outsiders had no right to interfere -Established nation-states -Sovereignty granted only by recognition of other states -Separation of church and state in the int'l system -Religious Pluralism -Beginning of current sovereign state system
What was include in post WW1?
Treaty of versailles (1919) -creates league of nations -Redraws German borders -Requires German reparations -Imposes arms limits on germany -Contributes to bitter and broken germany Creation of several new countries -Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Poland, and Baltic states Communist soviet union Rise of U.S. power
True or False. Liberal institutionalism agrees that anarchy creates a security dilemma for states.
True
What is sovereignty and why is it so important to international politics? Please be sure to describe the origins of sovereignty and explain how sovereignty has shaped international politics in the last 400 years. Please cite specific historical examples in your answer.
• Sovereignty is when a state has supreme power and authority over its own territory. A system of organization, housing people with a common identity and single government. Outside states are unable to have control over states territory without usually starting a war. • The Peace of Westphalia (1648) was a treaty to end the 30 years war. It was the birth date of the modern international system. • Sovereignty has greatly affected the way wars are fought, especially the morals in war.
Describe the evolution of the modern state system since medieval times. What were the key developments and concepts that ultimately led to the establishment of the state as the dominant form of political organization? Please be sure to reference both key historical events and critical concepts associated with the state and the international system in answering this question
• The first historical document from the medieval times was the Magna Carta; this limited the power of a king. Kings were no longer above the law; it was the first document that provided people with their basic rights. • Then came the renaissance, which transitioned, into city-states and the rise of the merchant class. • In 1648 the peace of Westphalia ended the 30 years war. It also was the first document to recognize sovereignty as an international norm. It established Nation states with recognized Sovereignty. • The council of Vienna redrew the geopolitical structure of Europe. • Then the Treaty of Versailles created the League of Nations, which would eventually fail. • However after WWII the treaty of Paris set the stages to create the United Nations.
