Liberalism

Question 1

John Locke’s ideas on rights and the right to life and being free from harm.

Answer 1

Law of nature governs state of nature, which guarantees people right to life, health, liberty and possessions (natural rights). They are fundamental to humans by nature and supersede the laws of the state. When the state curbs these rights, it is going against natural law.

Individuals should not harm others, especially when we are ourselves are not threatened in anyway.

People belong to God and serve God’s plan. No right to take own or others’ life.

Question 2

Natural rights and liberalism

Answer 2

Natural rights is key to liberalism. Serves as foundation for notion of inalienable, universal human rights.

Question 3

David Hume’s ideas on international relations

Answer 3

States are similar to individuals, but are very different. So, there are different laws and maxims that govern states, the Law of Nations such as the ability of states to formally declare war, and the sacredness of ambassadors. It’s these laws that govern international relations and interactions between states.

The Laws of Nature also apply to nations along with individuals. States must respect stability of possession just as individuals do. If states do not respect each other’s possessions, there will be perpetual war. Just as individuals keep promises, so should nations; otherwise, there can be no alliances and cooperation between states. Lack of trade between states affects international relations.

Identified Nation-states as key actors in IR (drawing on empiricism)

International relations do not resemble Hobbes. States are cooperative guided by laws of nations and nature.

Question 4

Hugo Grotius

Answer 4

Father of International Law through On the Law of War and Peace, his trademark work.

Question 5

On the Law of War and Peace Books and content for each.

Answer 5

Book One: Defines war, argues for legitimacy of war, and lays out who may legitimately wage it.
Book Two: Talks about causes of war, and enumerates just causes of war: self-defense, reparation of injury, punishment
Book Three: Proper conduct of war between belligerents

Question 6

Why did Grotius write On the Law of War and Peace

Answer 6

Wrote these books because states tend to cruelly and barbarically in war despite his belief that there is a common law for how to conduct war.

Question 7

Grotius on the power of God.

Answer 7

God creates Natural Law, but after that, he cannot change it despite his infinite power.

Question 8

According to Grotius, what is natural law? Is natural law based in religion? What does natural law consist of?

Answer 8

It is the natural consequence of the need for common rules for people to live together.

Natural law is not based in religion, but human rationality.

People have the right to liberty and property. Violations of these rights by others are against natural law.

Question 9

Grotius on the secularity of natural law

Answer 9

Natural law is created by God, but it is secular nature as it cannot be changed afterward by God. Also, natural law applies across all faiths and states.

Question 10

During which war, did Grotius write On the Law of War and Peace?

Answer 10

Thirty Years War in Europe (Between Catholics and Protestants)

Question 11

Why is Grotius relevant to liberalism?

Answer 11

His pursuit of international peace

His idea of natural law regulating IR as universal and based on reason challenges realism

Question 12

Democratic Peace Theory

Answer 12

States that are democracies inherently more peaceful than states that are dictatorships. Thus, the more countries that are democracies, the greater the prospect for peace in the world.

Question 13

Immanuel Kant’s Perpetual Peace Preliminary Articles

Answer 13

No State Shall Ever Come Under the Domination of Another State Under Any Circumstance. (States are not mere pieces of land that changes in owners. They are societies of people, only whom have the right to determine the fate of the state itself.

Militaries In Time Shall Be Abolished.

A Peace Treaty Shall Not Be Valid Unless It Is Done In Such A Way That It Totally Eliminates the Prospect of Future Armed Conflict. (Otherwise, It is a Truce.)

Debt Should Not Be Used in a Way Between States that Can Facilitate Conflict and War.

States Should Not By Force Try to Force a Change in Constitution or Government of Another State.

No State Shall Engage in Acts That Will Make Enforcement of Future Peace and End to Armed Conflict with Opposing State Extremely Difficult such as Employment of Assassins, Poisoners, Breaches of Capitulation, and Incitements to Treason Against Opposing State.

Question 14

Kant’s Definite Articles of Perpetual Peace

Answer 14

Countries becoming Republics is key to achieving perpetual peace in IR due to the consent of citizens. The citizens would be careful about entering into a war with all its devastation.

Once states are republics, they should create a League of Peace to end all wars forever.

Foreigners shall have the right to visit other states. As long as he or she occupies his or her place peacefully, he or she shall not be treated as hostile within those states. There is no right to stay in other states permanently by foreigners.

Question 15

Kant on the state of nature

Answer 15

The natural state is the unceasing threat of war, even if no hostilities are implemented. Accordingly, peace needs to be secured and each state must promise this to its neighbors.

Question 16

Angell’s Great Illusion

Answer 16

States can achieve their objectives through war is an illusion. In fact, they can harm those objectives with violent conflict.

Believed states can overcome conflict in which they fight based on nationalistic intentions.

Question 17

Angell on National Interests

Answer 17

National security can only be achieved by countries with some form of international organization to be created.

National Security: preservation of nationality and culture; means of economic life and particular economic system of country

Question 18

Angell on League of Nations

Answer 18

Proponent

Question 19

Angell on Common Rules for States

Answer 19

Without Common Rules, States are bound to build up militaries and clash. Military action is not effective in anarchy.

Question 20

14 Points Highlights

Answer 20

1. No Secret Diplomacy, No Secret Alliances. Diplomacy should be out in the open.
2. No economic barriers between states. Free trade between states.
3. States should reduce arms and military capabilities.
4. Proposes a global international organization to oversee peace between states, overcome anarchy.

Question 21

Woodrow Wilson on self-determination

Answer 21

Believed empires should be dismantled and states should return invaded territories to rightful owner states.

Question 22

The Twenty Years’ Crisis

Answer 22

Written by EH Carr

Called Liberalism “Utopianism”. (Willing world peace does not equal achieving it)

We cannot disregard power in IR.

Question 23

Francis Fukuyama’s Idea of the End of History

Answer 23

At the End of the Cold War, liberal democracy and free-market capitalism proved the best political and economic systems. There really is no viable alternative that can compete with them. Other systems will become less popular and appealing, slowly disappearing.

Question 24

Was Fukuyama, right?

Answer 24

No.

Connection between capitalism, democracy and liberalism is questioned.

Rise of Islamic Terrorism (Starting on 9/11. Ex: Rise of ISIS.)

Revival of Great Power Competition. (US v Russia on Ukraine, US v China, Trump’s unilateralism such as withdrawing from arms reduction treaties)

Question 25

Joseph Nye’s Ideas of Soft and Smart Powers

Answer 25

Soft Power: A country influencing other countries to its foreign policy preferences without threats, rewards, or punishment

Smart Power: Combination of soft and hard power in foreign policy.

Question 26

Michael Doyle on democratic peace theory

Answer 26

Democracies do not go to war with one another due to common systems of government.

Democracies do not have a problem going to war with non-democracies. If they do feel threatened by aggression, they seem to perceive it from non-democracies.

Question 27

International Regime

Answer 27

set of principles, norms, rules and decision-making procedures that international actors agree on for a specific issue area.

Ex: NNPT, Kyoto Protocol

Question 28

Realism on international regimes

Answer 28

Power remains relevant in international regimes as states will use their power to influence them and relative gains from cooperation through regimes.

Question 29

Liberalism on international regimes

Answer 29

International regimes overcome negative effects of anarchy by allowing exchange of info and building trust, allowing states to benefit from cooperation.

Question 30

What is the strength of the EU on the world stage?

Answer 30

Soft power such as a stellar economic system. It is also a power through promoting its norms such as human rights, freedom, respect for International law etc..

Question 31

Supranationalism on EU

Answer 31

Progress of EU integration is due to EU institutions.

Question 32

Intergovernmentalism on EU

Answer 32

Progress of EU integration is due to member states. Most powerful member states such as Germany and France have been pushing for greater integration.

Question 33

UN Liberal Features

Answer 33

Promotes human rights and justice as outlined by Hume and Locke

General Assembly (All states have universal membership and are equal with one vote each)

Regulation of War (War cannot wage war except self-defense and collective security)

Question 34

UN Realist Features

Answer 34

UN Security Council (Reflects power distribution after WWII with 5 Permanent Members)

Permanent Members Have Veto Power

UN Record Mixed. Paralyzed during Cold War. Has not intervened in Iraq (2003), Syria, or Ukraine conflicts.

Question 35

R2P

Answer 35

an international norm that seeks to ensure that the international community never again fails to halt the mass atrocity crimes of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity

The UN Resolution regarding this issue was adopted in 2005.

Question 36

International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty

Answer 36

Wrote a report on R2P commissioned by Canada

Argued that with state sovereignty comes the responsibility of a state to protect all of its peoples. When certain peoples in those populations suffer serious harm and the state is unwilling or unable to stop this, the principle of non-intervention yields to the necessity of humanitarian intervention from other states (including use of force).

Says authority to authorize interventions should come from UN Security Council.

If UNSC rejects a proposal or fails to deal with issue within reasonable time, UNGA, regional or sub-regional organizations should be able to make a decision subject to subsequent authorization from UNSC.

Admits interventions will not be launched against P5 or in Syria.

Question 37

Who does the 2005 R2P Resolution give authority to for authorization of humanitarian interventions?

Answer 37

Only the UN Security Council

Question 38

Complex Interdependence Characteristics, According to Keohane and Nye

Answer 38

1. States are not the only actors in international relations.
2. States have many different interests in foreign policy, and military security is not always the most important interest all the time. Sometimes, domestic policy issues become international issues.
3. Military force doesn’t play a significant role on states who are inter-dependent on one another as much as between states who are not.

Question 39

Neoliberalism on the important of information

Answer 39

Information sharing between states reduces mistrust and facilitates cooperation. International institutions play a role in this.

International institutions collecting high-quality info and provides it to states on reasonably even basis, there will be more cooperation between states.

Question 40

Neo-liberalism on absolute/relative gains

Answer 40

States cooperate if they see absolute gains regardless of how much it benefits relative to other states.

Question 41

Neo-realism on absolute/relative gains

Answer 41

States focus on relative gains. They want to gauge how much gains they will get relative to other states.

Question 42

Neo-liberals on international institutions

Answer 42

1. Create predictability, stability and trust among states. Cooperation is based on countless negotiations of many actors.
2. States may be reluctant to cooperate, fearing defections by states from international institutions. States may seek to free ride from cooperation with no costs.
3. Autonomy: Are outcomes of cooperation due to the institutions themselves, or the states?

Question 43

Similarities between neoliberalism and neorealism

Answer 43

1. There is anarchy.
2. States are self-interested.
3. Cooperation is difficult.

Question 44

Differences between neoliberalism and neorealism

Answer 44

1. Neorealism says cooperation is unlikely due to anarchy. Anarchy creates conflict.
2. Neoliberals believe cooperation is more likely than neorealists recognize.
3. Views on relative and absolute gains.
4. Neo-realists don’t have much faith at international institutions. If we do focus on them, pay attention to the powerful states as their actions matter. Neo-liberals believe international institutions can be actors in their own right that shape international outcomes.