Neo-Realism Flashcards
What is the principal difference between classical and neo-realism?
Classical realism puts human nature at the center of cause for war.
Neo-realism blames the anarchic system, which shapes outcomes - regardless of human nature or nature of the state.
Bipolar system more stable b/c in multipolarity ⬆️chance for miscalc/defection/diffuse resp/hard to manage crises/offense dominated
What does neo-realism emphasize?
Struggle not over power, but security in an anarchic system.
Levels of analysis - pioneered by Kenneth Waltz in The Man, State, and War (3rd is most critical):
1) first image - human nature/psych (pride/fear)
2) second image - nature of gov’t (dem v aut)
3) third image - int’l system (anarchic, no great power to impose authority)
Sub-category:
What is defensive realism?
Because int’l system anarchic, causes insecurity –> drive for security –> drive to possess defensive weapons.
Born out of the security dilemma: defensive weapons decrease chance of war. Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative.
Who champions defensive realism?
And who wrote the Balance of Threat theory?
Stephen Walt - “IR: one world, many theories”, “Alliance Formation and the Balance of World Power”, and “Balance of Threat Theory”
Kenneth Waltz - “origins of war in the neorealist theory”, and “the man, state, and war”
Robert Jervis - “Coop. Under security dilemma,” “Hypothesis on Misperception,” and “war and misperception”
Jack Levy - “declining power and the preventative motivation for war” (sacrifice now to prevent major loss)
Stephan Van Evera
Walt wrote that it’s the balance of threats, and not power, that matters
-threat = intentions + capabilities
Possible to have too much power
Jervis: prospects for peace greatest if distinction between offensive/defensive qZ
Sub-category:
What is offensive realism?
States are primed for offensive –> war is inevitable. Born out of the security dilemma.
Even Kenneth Waltz admits that wars will occur b/c of “uncertainty, miscalculations in a system where there is nothing to prevent war.”
Who champions offensive realism?
John Mearsheimer, in The Tragedy of Great Power Politics.
World hegemony is impossible. So best states can do is become a regional power.
Robert Gilpin “theory of hegemonic war”
What is Hegemonic war theory?
A change in power differentials between two states can lead to war.
Emphasis on structure of the system, changes in political, economic, and social affairs.
Actor on the top knows its power is fleeting, decides it is better to strike now than later.
–but Germany, Japan, Italy attacked leading powers in WWII
Who champions the hegemonic war theory?
Thucydides in his history of the Great War between The Spartans and Athenians (Peloponnesian War)…
… As described in Robert Gilpin in The Theory of Hegemonic War.
Jack Levy’s Prospect Theory allows for it, b/c “leaders are less willing to make concessions and more willing to risk large losses in the hopes of eliminating small losses altogether.”
Risks to maintain the status-quo.
What are stable and unstable systems in hegemonic war theory?
A stable system is one in which changes in the structure do not threaten the vital interests of dominant states.
An unstable system is one in which political, strategic, and economic changes erode the int’l hierarchy.
What is the result of a hegemonic war?
A new int’l system.
Waltz argued that wars occur b/c nothing stops them. This explains wars. But not wars that overthrow the int’l system.
What is the security dilemma and who wrote about it?
Robert Jervis wrote Cooperation Under the Security Dilemma, and Hypothesis on Misperception.
“Many of the means by which a state tries to increase its security decrease the security of others.”
Robert Jervis wrote in Hypotheses on Misperception that “decision-makers tend to fit incoming information into their existing theories and images… And tend to perceive what they expect.”
–WWI b/c overestimation of threats, WWII b/c of underestimation.
How might states achieve mutual cooperation under the security dilemma?
- increase gains for mutual cooperation
- decrease gains for defection; increase costs of defection
- increase expectation of cooperation
- prospects for peace greatest when weapons are clearly defensive
- but when deterrence is needed, defensive weapons become offensive (like anti-ballistic missile system)
