Marxism and Critical Theory in IR Flashcards
Marxism holds that human history is defined by __________
the ongoing struggle between the exploiters and the exploited
Who are the exploiters that Marx describes?
those who control the means of production (land or factory owners)
Who are the exploited that Marx describes?
workers
Marx emphasizes what kind of factors as the root of all historical, social and political phenomena?
economic factors
What do humans need to produce to survive?
material requirements of life
marxism focuses on what?
the material conditions of a society’s mode of production
define mode of production
combines a country’s productive capacity and the social relations of production (some live off the labour of others)
Describe what the phrase “workers of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains” signifies
workers across the world would have more in common with each other than the exploitative class within the same country
Marx thought the emergence of industrial capitalism would lead to what?
a transnational force of workers uniting to overthrow the system
Did what marx predict about the emergence of industrial captialism happen?
no the international state system, nationalism, sovereignty were reinforced, trans-national class unity never emerged --boundaries of nation not class
What kind of politics did the USSR engage in?
common power politics
What does the Marxist analysis of global politics focus on?
history and dynamics of economic interdependence rooted in global capitalism
What kind of relationship is there between core and periphery?
exploitative relationship
What, generally, is the concept of core and periphery?
class analysis at the inter-state level
define core
historically wealthier, industrialized colonizing countries
define periphery
historically poorer, agrarian, colonized countries
Why does core need periphery?
for resources
Why does periphery need core?
economies are configured for export
T or F: core and periphery are independant ideas
false, they are mutually structurally dependent, they exist because the other exists
Where do core and periphery dynamics occur?
domestically and internationally
describe Marxism’s contribution to IR
states competition for power and security is shaped by:
- dynamics of interdependence
- -marx identifies core and periphery and market capitalism - global processes of captial accumulation and economic exploitations
- -neo-marxism believes you have to look at core and periphery, and how economic exploitation can explain their behaviour
Study of IR is not only about identifying ‘recurrence and repetition’ but on the possibility of alternatives and change ‘unfolding’
Who is the Marxist scholar we studied?
Linklater
Describe the marxist critique of mainstream IR
- class tensions inherent in capitalism are a fertile ground for social and politcal change
- positivist assumptions of the mainstream theories conceal the poer realtions built in to historical processes
- power inequalities happen for a reason
What does positivism believe?
that we can use our senses to precisely measure phenomena
- measurements yield empirical evidence
- valid knowledge is derived this way
What is the critique of positivism?
- it’s an ideology, not objective science
- many historical, social, and political processes are unquantifiable
- it does not “theorize the values and meanings which social beings confer upon their actions”
- positivism reinforces existing inequalities
How is the international state system defined in realism?
by coercion (force) and consent
How does Marx suggest we analyze to better understand the processes of the international state system?
analyze the impact of social and economic change on the state system
according to World Systems Analysis, at the IR systems level, what was seen as more important than the Cold war?
relations between developed countries and Third World
What does Marx see as the ‘defining story’ of the cold war era?
focuse on core-periphery dynamics
What did modernization theorists imagine about poorer countries? and what did neo-realists argue about this?
that they could catch up with richer ones
neo-realists said this was incorrect due to inherent dynamic exploitation
What did World Systems Analysis postulate about poor countries?
because of exploitative capitalism, poor countries will stay poor
What are some key moments of core and periphery dynamics?
1955: Bandung(Indonesia) and emergence of the Non-Aligned Movement
- -have own set of priorities, not client of superpower
1960: Year of Africa and the Congo Crisis
Describe the non-aligned movement
- Nasser (Egypt), Nehru(India), Tito(Yugolsavia) were the leaders of it
- non-independent countries sent delegates but could not formally participate
- Yugoslavia defeated Nazis without Soviet help, was not part of Warsaw Pact
- not clients of superpowers
describe the Congo Crisis (DRC)
- 1960-1961
- DRC colonized by belgium in the late 19th century due to rich resources
- exploited through slave labour
- Belgians killed around 2M congolese
- gained its independence in 1960; elected Patrice Lumumba as Prime Minister
- Lumumba wanted to nationalize resources
- Belgians, French, US decided to kill Lumumba (Jan. 17, 1961) (likely other involvement as well)
- Lumumba had given an impromptu speech at Congo’s/ DRC’s independence, talking poorly on colonialism to Belgian King
Who else was killed because of wanting less exploitation/more equality?
- UN secretary-general Dag Hammarskjold
- evidence that Western powers were behind the plane crash that killed him
How did colonial powers achieve their aims?
have used different forms of violence
Why do colonial powers use violence and what are its implications?
- want access to resources
- visionary Third World leaders were killed
- newly-independent countries were plunged into chaos
- this subverted visions of unity and prosperity throughout the developing world
What theory can explain behaviour of colonial powers?
neo-marxism
