Term
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Definition
"Strong do what they can and the weak do what they must"
-importance of power
-Thucydideus: "father of realism" |
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Term
| Hobbes': State of Nature & State of War |
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Definition
-State of Nature is the State of War
-Nature of Man: in competition, insecurity and glory causes fighting. Competition for man makes them invade others
-Insecurity makes man invade for security (defensive realism?) |
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Term
| Realism: definition of power |
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Definition
-Power is equivalent to capabilities.
-Dominance & military
- self-interest
-exercised by force: ability to use military might, resources (GDP), characteristics or possessions of the state |
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Term
| Liberalism: definition of power |
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Definition
-rationality
-use of soft, smart & hard power & cooperation
-exercised w/ use of economic might
-Locke, Kant, Nye, Keohane, Doyle |
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Term
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Definition
-political entity
(a group of people with the same identity and common view, sovereignty as the legitimate use of force |
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Term
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Definition
- power-politics: competitive exercise of power in order to make gains
-relative power(?): how much power states have in relation to one another
-physical survival of the state (autonomy, states fear each other gaining more power)
-anarchy (there is no order or government body in the international system. Leads to fear & competition)
relative power- power only matters |
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Term
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Definition
One state has the most power in the international system. They act as the leader because they dominate the system.
Ex: 19th Century: England
20th Century: United States |
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Term
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Definition
The largest wars result from challenging states' hierarchy. When a rising state surpasses the most threatening state. This occurs when power is equally distributed and is the most dangerous time for wars.
EX: Cold War, the US hegemon was challenged by the Soviet Union |
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Term
| Hegemonic Stability Theory |
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Definition
| A single state needs to dominate the international system in order to enforce rules of interaction as well as stability among the most important members of the international system. |
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Term
| A hegemon's three attributes: |
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Definition
1. the capability to enforce the rules of the system
2. the will to do this
3. a commitment to a system that is mutually beneficial to major states |
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Term
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Definition
1. large, growing economy
2. dominance in a leading technological or economic sector/market
3. political power backed up with military power |
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Term
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Definition
| Politics are governed by objective laws which roots are found in human nature. Based on rationality & rational choices. |
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Term
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Definition
| Interest is defined in terms of power. Decisions are made upon minimizing risks and maximizing benefits. Statesmen's actions and capabilities can be questioned, but not rhetoric or intention. |
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Term
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Definition
| States' interests depend on the context and therefore are subject to change. (details can change but the fundamentals of how politics happen remain the same) |
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Term
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Definition
| Universal moral principles exist, but a statesman can't act upon these principles. You can't sacrifice security and survival in order to pursue universal moral goals. |
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Term
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Definition
| The nature of politics doesn't allow for states to represent universal moral values. States' interests & principles will clash because they are different. Therefore there is a security dilemma. |
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Term
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Definition
| The national interest is about relative power & economic, moral & legal considerations are subordinate to this. |
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Term
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Definition
Waltz(y)
-international structure
-international distribution of power
-states are units of international structure
-influence of state behavior on the international system
-states are the most important actors in the international system. |
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Term
| Distinctions Between Classical Realism & Neorealism |
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Definition
Classical:
-Hobbes & Morgenthau
-focus on human nature
-physical survival
-no focus on morals
Neo:
-Waltz & Mearsheimer
-focus on the international system
-sovereignty
-survival of the state in relation to international structure
-self help -> seeks personal interest first and foremost. |
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Term
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Definition
| Supreme power over a political body that is autonomous and free from external control. |
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Term
Offensive Realism
(Mearsheimer) |
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Definition
-Hegemon perceives threat
-States try and reach the top
-Competitive politics (power politics)
Mearsheimer: Hegemon will perform pre-emptive actions due to fear (EX. offshore pooling) |
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Term
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Definition
-Security
Waltz:
-States attempt to be as self-reliant as possible
-No one should have relative gains |
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Term
Robert Jervis:
The Security Dilemma |
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Definition
An increase in one state’s security decreases the security of others.
2 Crucial Variations:
-Defensive weapons and policies can be distinguished from the offensive ones
-The defense or the offense has the advantage based on technology and geography |
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Term
Security Dilemma:
More Severe |
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Definition
-Offensive and Defensive postures are the same
-Attacking is the best route for protection
-Behave as aggressors |
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Term
Security Dilemma:
Less Severe |
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Definition
-Defense has the advantage and offensive posture is distinguishable from defensive posture.
-No security problems
-No need to procure offensive sources because states do not feel threatened. |
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Term
| State Cooperation in Realism |
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Definition
-States only cooperate when it's in their best interests.
-Power countered by power leads to alliances and international norms.
-Balance of Power Theory
-Walt: Balance VS. Bandwagon
-Jervis: collective security
-Waltz: concerned with nation in the international system, not individual statesmen |
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Term
| Differences between Jervis and Waltz |
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Definition
-Waltz: concerned with nation-state within the international system & how states act (individual, leader state, anarchy)
-Jervis: How nations act in relation to one another is the security dilemma: actions depend on knowing the actions of other states. |
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Term
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Definition
| Rational players can gain when they cooperate. if only one cooperates the other one, who defects, will gain more. if both defect, they both lose, or gain little. if both decision makers were purely rational, they would never have the ability to cooperate at all. |
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Term
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Definition
| ⇒ The stability of the international system is dependent on the distribution of capabilities (power) between different nations. Multiple nations jockey for power and aim to advantage themselves and disadvantage others. Ultimately, this keeps nations’ power in check, and no single state is able to achieve domination. “Equilibrium” between states & their behavior. |
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Term
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Definition
-States ally with others against the prevailing threat for protection.
-It's safer to balance against potential threats than to rely on the hope that a state will remain benevolently disposed.
-Should be preferred because no statesman can be completely sure of what another will do. |
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Term
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Definition
-Alignment with the source of danger.
-Dangerous because it increases the resources available to a threatening power & requires lacing trust in its continued forbearance.
-Intentions can always change. |
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Term
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Definition
A state's total resources (population, industry, military, technology, etc.)
-The great the aggregate power, the greater the potential threat.
-Can trigger balancing or bandwagoning |
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Term
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Definition
States that are geographically closer pose a greater threat than those that are far away.
-Can lead to balancing or bandwagoning. |
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Term
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Definition
| Offensive capabilities of states (rapid military, effective action) -States with large offensive capabilities pose a greater threat than with a weak military or solely defensive capabilities. -can lead to balancing or badwagoning |
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Term
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Definition
-A revolt against authority which began with religion and knowledge
-Do not see the world as realists do (constant conflict, power, competition)
- Self-reflecting & self-examining
-People need to use their own senses and reasoning to understand something
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Term
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Definition
-Individual autonomy from the state and the church
-allowed for people to use their own reason
-Supreme executive power rule is derived from the mandate of the masses, not from divine intervention or tradition/ceremony
-Religion & ceremony are not sufficient means for gov't, instead rational consensus is required. |
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Term
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Definition
-Neoliberal institutionalism
-Smart and soft power
-Liberal states don't go to war with other liberal states
-Doyle + Nye |
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Term
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Definition
-The democratic process is superior
-Compromise & check + balance system
-Physical survival isn't the highest priority & interests don't lie solely on military
-Trade and market are important for exchange & mutual benefit (complex interdependence) |
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Term
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Definition
-Liberalist
-Humans are born "tabula rasa" (clean slate)
-Society shapes the world
-Rationality
-Right to exercise gov't which is made to resolve and exchange conflicts
-Monarchy is bullshit. but really. |
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Term
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Definition
-Realist
-Government exists to establish order
-Nature is brutish and short
-Favored monarchy |
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Term
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Definition
Use of military might and capabilities to achieve goals. Can implicate countries negatively, because use of it is usually volatile.
Ex: US invading Iraq |
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Term
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Definition
Use of capabilities in, usually, a diplomatic way in order to achieve a goal.
EX: US helping Indonesia after tsunami
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Term
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Definition
| Democracies don't go to war with each other. Democracies are more credible forms of government. |
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Term
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Definition
EX: NATO
Has collective security because they established their organization in such a way where they vowed to protect everyone in said organization, unless their own country was threated.
Strength in numbers. |
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Term
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Definition
1. question of order
2. how can you maintain order
3.are there any more desirable paths to achieve order
western world focuses on order before security
non western world focuses on justice
HEDLEY BULL |
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Term
| Neoliberal Institutionalism |
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Definition
Keohane
-institutions can help with interdependence and cooperation between states
-institutions can serve states interests
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