Military Power and the Role of Force in Contemporary World Politics: A Historical and Philosophical Overview

Question 1

Robert Jervis

Answer 1

Cooperation Under the Security Dilemma

Question 2

Joseph Nye

Answer 2

Conflicts After the Cold War

Question 3

Rupert Smith

The Utility of Force: The Art of War in the Modern World”

Answer 3

i. We are shifting from a seeming binary to a substantially more nuanced and changing environment. Goals are subjective, not objective and generally regard winning the will of the people. Civilians are becoming more intertwined in war (i.e. guerrilla warfare, fighting for their will, media coverage). Conflicts are timeless as the goal must be maintained. Scarcity of force and material makes for more defensive war, which lasts substantially longer. Sides are either growing to multinational levels or dissociating with countries and developing along other lines.

Question 4

Robert Jervis

“Realism, Neoliberalism, and Cooperation: Understanding the Debate”

Answer 4

i. The common distinction made between realism [R] and neoliberalism [NL] is wrong. [NL] purports that international collaboration can create substantially less conflict. Institutions of all kinds are a perfect remedy to rising conflict. [R] can be divided into two camps: Defensive Realists [DR] and Offensive Realists [OR]. [OR] purports that cooperation is at a limit; states are power­interested, meaning they will only cooperate when they gain. [DR] purports that more cooperation is possible; some states are power­interested, others are defensively focused, but conflict arises due to Security Dilemma.