Realism and liberalism Flashcards
Who argued that bipolarity was more stable than multipolarity? Why? What did they say about the state of the international system?
Kenneth Waltz, Theory of International Relations 1979
Two major powers can negotiate their way to stability more easily than many powers
International system is in a state of anarchy, with no central authority above state level
Who proposed the idea of a society of states? What is it?
Hedley Bull, The Anarchical Society 1977
Society of states formed when states realise that they have common interests and values and will benefit from working together
When this happens, states begin to interact and impact on each other’s decisions so ‘they behave - at least in some measure - as parts of a whole’
Who had ideas about political man? What were these ideas? Which is more important in global politics: moral considerstions or national interest?
Hans Morgenthau, Politics Among Nations 1948
Political is naturally selfish creature and will always try to dominate and have power over others
National interest
Who argued that conflict and competition between states will continue? Why?
John Mearsheimer, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2000)
States are trying to secure hegemony
Who was a proponent of complex interdependence? Which realist idea did they reject and why? They agree that states are inherently _______. How can international institutions/law be successful?
Robert Keohane, After Hegemony (2005)
States will always reject international cooperation preferring to protect national interest since it is more rational and increasingly in their interest to find more ways to cooperate
Egoistical
If they try to persuade and enable states to reach shared solutions instead of enforcing decisions on states
Who argued that liberal democracy would become the undisputed form of human government? Why? What did he call this?
Francis Fukuyama, The End of History and the Last Man (1992)
End of Cold War and collapse of USSR
‘Endpoint of mankind’s ideological development’
Who argued that 21st century conflict would be cultural in ‘The clash of civilisations’? Why? What did he argue the West could do to prevent it? Which 8 civilisations did he identify?
Samuel Huntington
>Before, states’ desire for territorial or economic gain had been motivation for conflict and nation states had been created –> mostly driven by Western powers e.g. colonial wars
>Gains now settled so conflict would be between civilisations (group of humans with a shared culture and often religion - no defined by single political ideology)
>Argued that revival of religion in Islamic world would come to challenge Western values and institutions
>Globalisation will make people more aware of their civilisation roots and their differences to others –> seek to defend them
>forces of globalisation have eroded national identity and >religion is only remaining cultural identity
>Prevent it by pursuing political, economic and military integration so differences within West cannot be exploited; expand NATO and EU into states which may fall into Russian sphere of influence; restrain military advancement in Islamic nations; intervention in affairs of civilisations would be source of instability and conflict
>Western, Orthodox (Russia, former USSR), Islamic, African, Latin American, Sinic (most of China), Hindu, Japanese, ((Buddhist))
–>Russia and Turkey are ‘swing civilisations’, torn between Western and Orthodox/Islamic identities
