Causes of War Flashcards
How can the levels-of-analysis framework be applied to non-state groups? Systemic, state, individual
- External threats and opportunities in its environment (group survival as a whole)
- Internal threats - politics among subgroups (infighting)
- particular beliefs and charisma of an individual leader
What are the 4 realist concepts for leading to war?
Anarchy
Security Dilemma
Spiral Model
Deterrence Model
What are the varieties of realist theories? 5
Classical realism
Neorealism
Defensive realism
Offensive realism
Neoclassical realism
What are the 2 main hegemonic theories of conflict?
-Power transition
-Long-cycle
What do all realist theories emphasize?
All realist theories emphasize that the key actors in world politics are sovereign states (or other territorially defined groups) that act rationally to advance their security, power, and wealth in an anarchic international system.i.e. balance of power
How does anarchy concept explain war?
It creates a permissive environment for war by creating a system of insecurity, conflicts of interest, and international rivalries.
Explain the spiral model.
The security dilemma and conflict spiral are the core of the spiral modelof war and peace. Spiral theorists often point to World War I or to the 1967 Arab – Israeli War as examples of spiral dynamics that escalated to war when one side decided to take preemptive
action.
Explain the deterrence model.
Wars occur when deterrence fails - when one side either lacks the military capabilities to threaten a sufficiently costly response to aggression, or when its threat lacks credibility. Predatory behavior is primary path.
What is a common distinction to divide realist theories?
Classical and structural
What is considered structural realism? 3
Neorealism
Offensive realism
Defensive realism
What is classical realism?
(individual and state level) Believe that there are multiple sources of state behavior and hence of the causes of war. They also emphasized human nature as a source of aggressive behavior. It is security focused (vs power).
What is (Waltzian) neorealism?
(systemic level) Waltz argued that the distribution of power has far more impact on state behaviors and international outcomes than do the internal characteristics of states or the characteristics of individual political leaders. Waltzian neorealism is a form of balance of power theory. Critics charge that neorealism could make very general predictions, but not more specific predictions, about international politics. It is power focused (vs security). Thinks alliances make you weak. Must be able to secure your own survival. Cannot explain NATO and the peace it brings. Does not open the black box of the state.
What is realism?
Balance of power. Realists argue that systems of different polarity create different threats and opportunities for states and generate different foreign policy behaviors, particularly for the great powers. Realists often disagree as to the specific relationship between the polarity of the system and its stability.
What do non-realists argue about polarity?
(systemic level) Argue that multipolar systems are more stable than bipolar systems. They argue that multipolarity creates a greater number of possible coalitions that might form against any possible aggressor, thus reinforcing deterrence against aggression. In bipolar systems, on the other hand, there is a tendency toward the polarization of the alliance system around the two leading powers, increasing the risks of escalation.
What is defensive realism?
(systemic level) The impact of military power declines over distance, and spatially distant states pose less of a threat than do proximate states. Defensive realists also emphasize the importance of technology, particularly as it affects the “offensive-defensive balance.” It is most confident about the effectiveness of balance of power mechanisms in restraining aggression. Defensive realists argue that war will not arise in a world of purely security-seeking states in the absence of domestically induced revisionist goals or extreme misperceptions of external threats. Think defensive armament increases the likelihood of cooperation despite the existence of the security dilemma.
What is offensive realism?
(systemic level) They argue that the sources of predation can be traced to the structure of the international system, the inherent uncertainty about adversary intentions, and anarchy-induced tendencies towards worst-case analysis, without invoking domestic variables (they do not doubt the existence of predatory states and predatory leaders). The international system is so hostile and unforgiving that uncertainty about the future intentions of the adversary combined with extreme worst-case analysis lead even status quo-oriented states to adopt offensive strategies, which often lead to war. Discount difference between offensive and defensive weapons.
