Realism

Question 1

Thucydides ?

Answer 1

„First“ international relation writer
(471-400 be)
Realist

Question 2

Role von Realismus in IPÖ?

Answer 2

Oldest and most influential for politics and military and history,
But not as influential as liberalism in ipö because they don’t talk to much about economics

Question 3

Machiavelli

Answer 3

1469-1527
The prince
Economic is not as important as state military, strength and stability

—-> influential on postwar American realists

Question 4

Distinctive realists?

Answer 4

Thucydides, merkantilisch
Power , Security & economics
Money is more important than military

Question 5

Focus of Realists?

Answer 5

State (in a anarchist international surrounding)

Safety, Power, and wealth

—> stable to outside = no feudalism

International Institutions can just operate within the state

Question 6

International Relations for realists?

Answer 6

Zero-sum
—> more interested in relative growth than absolute (abs: liberal)

International Institutions are not neutral but formed by the most powerful states
—>area for acting out power realations

Redistribution in capitalism

Question 7

Politics and Economics in realism?

Answer 7

Politics are more important , states structure economic relations.

Skeptical if interdependence and globalization are increasing
—> if so than because states permit it

Hegemonial states decide if world economy’s stability and level of open or closed

Question 8

Merkantilism

Answer 8

1500-1750

After feudalism, —> state building, territorial unification

Gold and Silver accumulation
—> decrease import, increase export

Question 9

Criticism to merkantilism in 18.jhd?

Answer 9

No individual freedom against state

Economics: states ruin their Neighboors

No free trade

Question 10

Neomerkantilism?

Answer 10

States that today involved in a lot of protectionism, self-sufficient increase power and wealth.

Question 11

Realism and industial revolution

Answer 11

Central requirement for country’s seeking to gain national security, military and economic self-sufficiency —> instead of gold and silver

Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804)
Friedrich List (1789-1846) 

Protectionism until industrialization, national unity and development of „human capital“

Question 12

Realism interwar period

Answer 12

After WW1: liberalism looses followers, country’s care more for national interest and turn to realism
—>right extremist gained power

Hegemonial: lack of hegemon leads to protectionism —> Great Depression

Question 13

Realism in postwar?

Answer 13

After experience with extreme right, liberal economic ideas came back,
but political realism was still supreme.
—> not interested in economics ( not like merkantilistische)

Political realism was focused on east-west conflict

Realists didn’t care for liberal international institutions of the west because they were not political

—> IPE in 1950s/60s : realism theory is overshadowed by l. And h.s.

USA as hegemonial power —> Open and stable international economic Regimes

Question 14

70s/80s for realism?

Answer 14

Destabilizing economic Phase

• OPEC
• decline of us hegemonial power
• increase economic friction (us,eu,Japan)
• foreign dept crisis in LDC

—> r. Can’t deny the importance of economics anymore

But also:

• states got more involved in macroeconomic management ( after Keynes 30s-50s)
• new states („end“ of colonialism)
• growing international competition for west

—> r. Bring back the importance of the state

Realist challenge liberal thought of florishment because of free trade and interdependence
—> important is hegemonial power distribution for economic flourished

Question 15

Hegemonic stability theory

Answer 15

Open and stable international economy is likely when there is a single dominant hegemony state
- able & willing to provide leadership and maintain policys for liberal economy

Hegemonic conditions of the past:

• united provinces (Netherlands)
• Britain
• America
• a lot of criticism and discussion

Question 16

What is hegemony for realists?

Answer 16

Extrem unequal STATE power distribution

Question 17

Strategy and motives of hegemonic states in realism?

3 models

Answer 17

1) benevolent methods and goals
- Promoting Generalized believes
- Rewards rather than threats
- interested in absolute gain
(More liberal perspective)

2) mixed
- General and personal believes
- if necessary coercive
- interested in relative and absolute gain

3) coercive
- exploitive
- leadership out of self-interest
- coercion
-interested in relative gain
(More realist perspective)

Question 18

Realist on British hegemony

Answer 18

19. century: trade liberalization

1875 decline British hegemony
—> decline of free trade

Question 19

Critics for hegemonial theory (realism)

Answer 19

—> studies suggest there was no peotectionism after decline of British hegemony: WW1 as reason for decline in trade liberalization

Possibility of cooperative effort in maintaining international regimes after hegemony decline

The USA was also protectionistic in some ways as a hegemon ( national control of capital flows, GATT exceptions for agriculture)

Other factors for openness and stability: general world prosperity, industries interests (surplus: openness,shortages: protectionism)

Question 20

Us hegemony declining? (Realism)

Answer 20

„Declinist“

• overextend itself und military and economic
• free riders gain more from openness then hegemon
• more dynamic and competitive economies

„Renewalists“:

• decline is just relative & result of European and Japanese reconstruction
• share of global economic output is stable since 70s
• a lot of soft-power
• cultural supremacy
• Asian economy crisis in 90s stabilizes armeican economic power