Chapter 2: Theories of World Politics. Copyright © 2009 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.2 Concepts Paradigm: Dominant way of looking at a particular

Chapter 2: Theories of World Politics

Chapter 2: Theories of World Politics

Copyright © 2009 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 2

Concepts

• Paradigm: Dominant way of looking at a particular subject; structured patterns of inquiry and interpretation

• Theory: Set of hypotheses postulating relationships between variables; used to describe, explain, and predict; must be falsifiable and stand the test of time


Nuclear Showdown: North Korea Crackdown

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Questions

1. In your opinion, are sanctions the most effective way to handle a rogue state?

2. Will North Korea be more secure if it obtains a useable weapons arsenal?

3. Consider the dilemma: if North Korea does not build weapons it might be attacked, or threatened, by more powerful states. But if it does, it might face additional hostile powers and increase US incentives to attack. Is there any way out of this dilemma?


The Philosophical Underpinnings of Realism

Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War (5th Century BC)

“The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.”

“Of gods we trust and of men we know, it is in their nature to rule whenever they can.”

“What made war inevitable was the growth of the Athenian power and the fear that this caused in Sparta.”

“So far as right and wrong are concerned…there is no difference between the two…”

Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes(Classical) Liberalism(Classical) Liberalism

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)• Leviathan (1651)Leviathan (1651)

– State of Nature:State of Nature:» Humans live in a perfect state of libertyHumans live in a perfect state of liberty» Humans live in a perfect state of equalityHumans live in a perfect state of equality» Humans are essentially self-interestedHumans are essentially self-interested» Humans, therefore, are born into a natural Humans, therefore, are born into a natural state of warstate of war with one another…..chaos and conflictwith one another…..chaos and conflict» The only law of nature is that of survival of the fittest, The only law of nature is that of survival of the fittest,

eacheach person striving after that which will maximize his/her person striving after that which will maximize his/her

ownown chances at survivalchances at survival» The only real public good that can be conceived of is The only real public good that can be conceived of is

orderorder….…. and so individuals will give their consent to be governed and so individuals will give their consent to be governed

by a forceby a force with ultimate and sovereign power: an with ultimate and sovereign power: an absolute monarchabsolute monarch


Central Assumptions of Realism

• Anarchy

• States as the main actors

• States as unitary actors

• States as rational actors

• “Realpolitik”—states should be prepared for war in order to preserve peace


Realism’s Tenets (1 of 2)

• People are selfish and ethically flawed and compete for self-advantage

• People have an instinctive lust for power

• Eradicating this instinct is not possible

• International politics is a “a war of all against all”

• The prime obligation of the state is promoting the national interest


Realism’s Tenets (2 of 2)

• Anarchical international system requires states to acquire military power

• Military power is more important than economics

• Do not trust allies

• Resist international efforts to control state protection and institute global governance

• Seek flexible alliances to maintain a balance of power


The Security Dilemma

• Insecurity leads states to arm, but arms create more insecurity.


The Prisoner’s Dilemma

• Defect

• Cooperate

• What are the payoffs?


The Evolution of Realist Thought

• World War II

• East–West rivalry of the Cold War

• Structural realism or “neo-realism” Used global level of analysis Focus on anarchy Kenneth Waltz “Defensive Realism”

• International Anarchy vs. Human Nature John Mearsheimer “Offensive Realism”:

States seek to maximize their own security by maximizing their power


Variants of Realism

• Balance of Power Theory

• Hegemonic Stability Theory


Criticism of Realism

• Could not explain increased cooperation after World War II

• Many of its propositions not easily testable: criticized by behavioral scientists

• Lacks precision in defining key terms

• Disregards ethical principals

• Focuses on military might at economic and social expense of states


Other Criticisms: Defining Power in a Meaningful Way is Difficult (1 of 2)

What factors make a state powerful? The three tables above list the top 10 states (including the EU as a single state) in three different categories that might be used to assess power.


Other Criticisms: Defining Power in a Meaningful Way is Difficult (2 of 2)

The Venn diagram shows which states are in the top ten in one, two and three categories. What does this kind of analysis show us? What does it obscure? What other categories might be used to assess power? Are the different categories of equal importance? All these questions complicate efforts to assess the role of power in international politics.

Political Ideologies

Liberalism (cont.)Jonathan Locke

Second Treatise on Government (1689)– State of Nature:

» Humans are born into a natural state of liberty» Humans are born into a natural state of equality» Humans are self-interested and struggle to maximize their chances

for survival» Humans must acquire (through their own labor) personal

property in order to survive; therefore, the right to personal property is an immutable law of nature, as are the rights to life, liberty and health.

» All humans are born with the capacity to reason, and therefore, have the capacity to conceive of the law of nature (they will acknowledge every individual’s right to property based on labor)

» Any who would violate the law of nature enter into an unnatural state of war with other individuals in society

» Peace and order are maintained by a government that enjoys the consent of the governed so long as it upholds the law of nature and respects the natural rights of its citizens


Liberalism

• Holds that reason and ethics can overcome international anarchy to create a more orderly and cooperative world

• Optimistic about the prospects of cooperation

• Emphasizes establishing stable democracies as a way to reduce conflict

• Politics is not seen as zero-sum

• Emphasizes free trade because it helps prevent disputes from escalating into war

• Stresses the importance of international institutions

• Also called “idealism”


Three Strands of Liberal Theory

Variant of Liberalism Level of Analysis

Departure from Realism

Liberal Institutionalism System. Retains basic assumption of balance of power theory.

Anarchy does not necessarily lead to conflict. Cooperation is possible.

Complex Interdependence Theory

Sub-state, but not exclusively. Focuses on individuals, firms, NGOs, and organizations within governments as key actors.

States are not the only important actors. Actors have diverse interests in international politics. Much of IR has little to do with military security.

Democratic Peace Theory

State. Focuses on what kind of government the state has.

States are not all essentially the same. Liberal (democratic) states can solve disputes without war.


The Evolution of Liberal Thought

• World War I

• Collective security

• International law

• Disarmament

• Complex interdependence

• International regimes

• Neoliberalism


The Limitations of Liberalism

• Realists argue that institutions actually exert minimal influence on state behavior.

• The prospects for cooperation are more likely in issues of low politics than of high politics.

• Realists also argue that liberals tend to turn foreign policy into a moral crusade.


Neorealism

• Accepts much of realism

• States’ behavior determined by differences in relative power

• All states have same objectives, but different capacities to realize them

• Distribution of capacities determines structure of the international system

• Global level of analysis


Neoliberalism

• Developed by critics of realism/neorealism

• Focuses on how IGOs and other nonstate actors promote cooperation and peace

• Examines how states cooperate with each other and de-emphasize conflict

• Points to regional integration, especially the European Union


Economic Structuralism

• Also known as Marxism

• Focuses on the distribution of wealth


Assumptions of Economic Structuralism

• Economic determinism

• Class system (bourgeoisie and the proletariat)

• Surplus value


Constructivism

• Focus on the impact of ideas

• World politics is socially constructed

• Focus on the role of norms as constitutive, constraining, or enabling

• Power in international relations revolves around actors’ ability to persuade others to accept their ideas


Important Constructivist Terms

• Identity

• Norms


The Limitations of Constructivism

• Inability to explain why and how ideas change over time

• Privileging of structures over agents in understanding international events


The Radical Critique

• Socialists focus on class conflict

• Dependency theory: Poverty in the Third World stemmed from the exploitative structure of the capitalist world economy

• World-system theory: Views the world capitalist system as consisting of a core, periphery and semi-periphery; the core shifts over time from one area to another

• Radical critiques tend to overemphasize economic interpretations of international events


The Feminist Critique

• Examines the exclusion of women in discussions about international affairs and the injustice and unequal treatment of women this prejudice caused

• Explores how gender identity shapes foreign policy decision making and how gendered hierarchies reinforced practices that perpetuated inequalities between men and women

• Feminists differ in the importance they place on the inherent differences between men and women

• Need to focus on the role of women as a whole, not just female leaders


Schools of Thought in Feminist Theory

• Feminist Empiricism

• Feminist Standpoint Theory

• Feminist Postmodernism


Lost Girls—The New Slave Trade… Prostitution

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Questions

1. What factors have contributed to the increase in sex trafficking in Albania?

2. Explain how each of the three schools of feminist theory (feminist empiricism, feminist standpoint theory, and feminist postmodernism) would approach the problem of sex trafficking and prostitution as described in the video.



Theorizing about Theory

• Deconstructivism

• Epistemology

• Behavioralism


Questions for Critical Thinking (1 of 2)

1. What are the strong and weak aspects of realism?

2. In the liberal paradigm, how does anarchy create incentives to cooperate?

3. How does neoliberalism differ from liberalism?


Questions for Critical Thinking (2 of 2)

4. Which theory has the best explanatory and predictive power regarding the 2003 confrontation between the United States and Iraq?

5. Which theory has the best explanatory and predictive power for world politics in general?

6. Does the nature of the international system change over time?


Web Links

• Contemporary Philosophy, Critical Theory, and Postmodern Thought

• Data on the Net

• Feminist Theory Website

• Niccolò Machiavelli

• President Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points

Documents

Chapter 2: Theories of World Politics. Copyright © 2009 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.2 Concepts Paradigm: Dominant way of looking at a particular