Homework• 1. What is this study based on? How did the group

determine levels of corruption?

• 2. How have the countries at the top of the list (least corrupt countries) made efforts to prevent future corruption?

• 3. What kind of faults have been found with this survey? What do you think of the validity of the survey?

• 4. Take a look at the map and the varying levels of corruption. What do you think about it? Where are the most corrupt and least corrupt countries concentrated?

International Relations Theory & The Morocco-UK Relationship5/12/14

Defining basic IR terms•State

▫A territory where a population lives that has a permanent government which the population pays its allegiance to and which is recognized diplomatically by other states

•Theory▫Seeks to explain past state behavior and

predict the future behavior of states•Anarchy

▫Not absence of rules, but absence of central government to enforce rules

Important Theories

•Realism•Liberalism•Constructivism

Realism

• The international system is ANARCHIC, no central government exists

• The STATE is the primary actor• States are rational actors

▫They advance their national interest by making rational decisions

• Power and Security are the most important▫Self-help world ▫States will make decisions that help them feel

secure• Morality isn’t relevant in politics• Zero-sum game

Realism ▫Hegemonic Stability Theory

Based in realism Hegemony: influence or control over another

country Theory basically argues that the international

political system is most stable when one state is powerful

Realism•“The strong do what they want and the weak do what they must”

Liberalism

•Human nature is basically good•Bad behavior (war) is due to inadequate

social institutions and miscommunication between leaders▫Countries can cooperate and mutually

benefit•International organizations, like the UN

and EU are central and important•Essentially about democracy

Liberalism

•Democratic peace theory▫The theory posits that democracies are less

likely to go to to war with each other Ex: the U.S. and UK are both democracies,

war between them is unlikely▫A very widely held theory

Constructivism

•“emphasizes the impact of ideas, identities, norms, and culture in world politics” –Tufts IR guide

•Materialism not important (power and trade aren’t)

Example of Constructivism

•For example, how the U.S. views an atomic bomb in North Korea is different from how it views one in the UK▫Materially—an atomic bomb is an atomic

bomb▫But it takes on different meanings ▫The U.S. reacts to social relationship

differently To North Korea, U.S. has hostile relationship,

interest to resist To UK, U.S. has mutually beneficial

relationship, no interest in containing them

Videos!

•Liberalism▫https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

tZbDMUaqwE8•Realism

▫https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnKEFSVAiNQ&list=PL9122B69A0D2A0639

•Constructivism ▫https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

kYU9UfkV_XI

Morocco and the UK (and applying some of those theories!)•The two countries recently celebrated 800

years of diplomatic relations!•In 1213- King John of England

▫Sent 1st embassy to Morocco▫Hope to make friends with Sultan

Mohamed Ennassir Wanted his support in fighting European

enemies Which theory could describe this situation?

UK & Morocco

•Trade▫First trade mission by the UK to Morocco

was established in 1550▫English traders granted special status so

trade expanded quickly ▫“In 2012, bilateral trade in goods between

the two countries passed £1bn for the first time” (gov.UK)

▫The UKTI office in Casa helps business in Morocco

▫What would a constructivist say about trade?

British Control of Tangier

•1661-1684▫Britain controls Tangier against Morocco’s

wishes Sultan Moulay Ismail fought against this Britain eventually found it too costly to

maintain ▫Explained by realism?

Britain hope to gain territory to maintain its security

Morocco hoped to gain territory to maintain its security

Both were acting rationally, as unitary actors

18th and 19th Century Relations

•Treaties of Peace and Commerce in 1721 and 1760

•Morocco remained independent through this time period ▫Part of this could be due to Britain’s

commitment to maintaining the Kingdom, as this would protect Britain’s interests in Gibralter Again, a very realist view

Britain acting in its own security, keeping this relationship in order to feel secure and gain power

Relations today• Arab Partnership

▫2011, UK announced its commitment to help political change happen in the MENA region

▫3 goals (from gov.uk) Encourage greater political participation Increase gov’t transparency and limit corruption Supporting media to create democratic debate

• “British and Moroccan ministers have frequent contact on a wide range of political issues including political reform and human rights, and we cooperate in international forums like the United Nations.”