Realism and Liberalism Flashcards
(36 cards)
General Ideas of Realism
Selfish human nature leads to selfish states States are rational States are unitary actors States are amoral States seek power International anarchy Inevitability of war Security Dilemma
What is the state system?
Westphalian State System - 1648
States enjoy sovereign jurisdiction
Acceptance of the independence of states
What defines a state?
Defined territory
Permanent Population
Effective Government
Capacity to enter into relations
Realism and Human Nature
Selfish human nature is reflected in states
Cause of conflict
Humans are fundamentally self-centred and seek to pursue their own interests
States seek to pursue the national interest
Prisoners Dilemma - never know a person’s intentions which means cooperation is bad
States as Rational?
Cost v benefits analysis
States act according to their interests
Serve them best
States are Unitary?
No division of opinion in state’s interest
Culture and nature of the regime affects interests
Fixed
States seek to increase their power
States are Amoral?
States do not act according to the concepts of justice, rights or religious morality
Relations not guided by universal principles
States act ruthlessly - Machiavelli
States seek power?
Security Dilemma States motivated by the pursuit of this More power = more protection Power is a finite resource States compete with one another for military and economic power Hegemonic Power Seeking
What is the anarchical society? International Anarchy
World system is leaderless
States cannot be held to account for their actions or punished if they overstep a boundary
States are the primary actors
Some claim selfish human nature may cause states to act selfishly
Realism and war as inevitable
Security dilemma poses a threat to world peace.
People are selfish and there is bound to be disagreements
Lack of adherence to any moral principles
What is the Security Dilemma?
Actions of one state to increase their power and security will cause another state to act in the same way
Competitive struggle for power and a balance is never/ rarely met
Selfish desire = conflict
What is the Billard Ball Model?
Dominated 1950s
States are balls that collide with one another and are all different sizes
Sovereignty is the outer shell which enables it to influence and withstand collision
States are impermeable and self-contained units which influence one another through external pressure
What are some criticisms of realism?
Too much focus on states
Encourages immoral behaviour
Champions a fixed view of human nature which is pessimistic
Too complex to contain international relations in one theory
Why did Liberalism come about?
Some things could not be explained by realism
There has been a decline in conflict and a rise in democracy
General Ideas of Liberalism
Optimistic view of human nature - not fixed Humans/States seek to cooperate Altruistic and selflessness There are other non-state actors War as a last option Complex interdependence
What is the society of states?
Theory that states of the world can be members of a society, despite the anarchical nature of the international system.
Hedley Bull - states become aware of a shared set of interests and values and so develop institutions and a set of rules, norms and values by which they agree to be bound
Liberalism and the significance of morality
Optimistic view of human nature
Rousseau uses the Stag Hunt scenario to illustrate how humans are naturally altruistic
Liberalism and Human Nature
Optimistic
Capable of selfless concern for others
Altruistic
Seek to cooperate
Liberalism and harmony and balance
States can act selflessly
Reject unitary actors
States’ interests reflect the plurality of interests in a state - this can change
Argue that constitutional and political organisations of a state can affect its behaviour towards other states
International system is characterised by cooperation
What is complex interdependence?
Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye
States and their fortunes are inextricably linked economically, politically, militarily and culturally
David Ricardo - states rely on one another for foods and trade
What is the Cobweb Model?
States are interdependent on one another to survive and have vital relationships with one another that need preserved through cooperation
Impact on the growth of intergovernmental organisations
Liberals - decline in the state as an actor in the system
United Nations taking a leading role in the fight against climate change
Optimistic about the prospects of cooperation
Kenneth Waltz
Realist
Theory of International Politics
Defensive realist
Bi-polarity to be more stable than multipolarity
Two major powers can negotiate their way to stability more easily
State system is a system of anarchy
Hedley Bull
Realist
The Anarchical Society
Identified the idea of the anarchical society within which a society of states exists
