WORLD POLITICS – Lecture 4

1. THE REALIST STATE

General Agreement Among Realists

• State-prime actor in International Relations• The use of force to adjust relations• Competitive and conflictual character of

international relations• War as the remaining option for the

resolution of conflict• Pessimism about peace

Context of Realism

• Cold war (East / West blocks)• Arms race (nuclear weapons)

• State centric• International relations as inherently competitive• Material factors as opposed to non-material

factors• State-egoistic actors

Realism

Neorealism Postclassical Realism

Both

3 Assumptions Differentiating Neorealism and Postclassical Realism

The most important assumption:

Possibility of conflict (Neorealism) or probability of aggression (Postclassical Realism).

Neorealism1) Possibility of conflict

shapes the actions of States

2) Heavy discount rate. Short-term military preparedness over long term

3) Military vs. economy -- military preparedness

Postclassical Realism1) States’ actions are based

on assessment of probabilities of threats

2) Long-term not subordinate to short term preparedness for military action

3) Military vs. economy – economic trade off if probability of war is low

Possibility vs. Probability

Neorealism• Imminent possibility of conflict• International relations as

brutal• Anarchy-suspicious and hostile

context• With states deciding whether

or not to use force, war may at any time break out in the absence of supreme authority

• Rational state never lets down its guard: states adopt worst-case perspective

Postclassical Realism• Probability of conflict rather

than imminent possibility of conflict

• Lower security pressure

Neorealism

3 principles guiding the worst-case perspective:

1)Costs of war triggering possibility of conflict2)Material capabilities signal potential for

aggression3)Defensive precautions are the only assurance

against aggression

Short-term vs. Long-term

Neorealism• Maximize military security

in short-term due to the potential of immediate aggression

• Maximize short-term security from potential rivals

• High-discount rate

Postclassical Realism• See the world under lower

security pressure lower discount rate No possibility of imminent

war but probability

Trade-off Between Military and Economic Security

Military

Economic

45°

MRS

Military Security vs. Economic Capacity

Neorealism• Military security first before

economic capacity (rationality)

• In case of conflict between military objectives and economic military objectives favored (trade-off)

Postclassical Realism• Power = military preparedness +

economic capacity• Wealth determines power• Power is the ultimate goal of the

state• Seeking power ≠ conquest.

Conquest can increase wealth, but one can also increase wealth by:

1) changing international trade patterns

2) having efficient institutions3) using comparative advantage to

secure raw materials from weaker states

4) reducing non-productive expenditure