Realism + Liberalism Flashcards
Who are the four Realist Thinkers who question the assumptions of Liberalism through literature?
Kenneth Waltz
Stephen Walt
Hans Morgenthau
John Mearsheimer
Who wrote ‘Theory of International Politics’ and when?
Kenneth Waltz - 1979
Who wrote ‘Politics Among Nations’ and when?
Hans Morgenthau - 1948
Who wrote ‘The Origins of Alliances’ and when?
Stephen Walt - 1987
Who wrote ‘The Tragedy of Great Power Politics’ and when?
John Mearsheimer - 2001
What did Kenneth Waltz argue in terms of global politics?
Defensive Realism - that bipolarity (two major powers competing) is more stable than multipolarity (many powers competing)
What did Stephen Walt argue in terms of global politics?
That states will act on a ‘balance of threats’ notion where they will develop friendly relations with other states to counter threats from a ‘rival state’
What did Hans Morgenthau argue in terms of global politics?
Classic Realism - Man are naturally selfish creatures who will always try to dominate + power over others - moral considerations are less important than the national interest
What did John Mearsheimer argue in terms of global politics?
Offensive Realism - Conflict and competition for power will continue no matter what - states will always try to secure hegemony
Which two key thinkers in Conservatism are relevant in global politics due to their theories?
Thomas Hobbes
Edmund Burke
How do Hobbes’ theories relate to global politics?
Hobbes’ theorises that the absence of a higher authority - ‘Leviathan’ - will cause anarchy internationally as nation states will always try to secure hegemony
How do Burke’s theories relate to global politics?
Burke’s theory of society operating in ‘little platoons’ - seeing a benefit to society from hierarchical structures + continued the realist view of human nature being flawed and imperfect
What are three examples of the Anarchical world order in action?
The Iraq War (2003)
China’s Belt and Road Initiative (2013-onwards)
Russia annexation of Crimea (2014)
What is the backdrop of the Iraq War?
The US (backed by troops from Australia, Poland and the UK) perceived Iraq had and intended to use Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs)
Why was the USA’s invasion of Iraq controversial?
The US launched military action without a clear UNSC Resolution authorising the use of force - Russia + France objecting through urging UN weapon inspectors to be given more time to investigate Iraq
Who was in charge of Iraq during the 2003 invasion? What happened to him?
Saddam Hussein
His regime was ended within days of the invasion, briefly went into hiding but caught and tried by an Iraqi Special Tribunal
Executed on 30th September 2006
What conclusion did the UN weapons inspectors ultimately reach after the Iraq War?
That Iraq had no Weapons of Mass Destruction
How was the Iraq War an example of US foreign policy being realist? (3 examples)
The US was prepared to ‘go it alone’ without international support
The war’s legality was highly questionable
The US and it’s allies were acting in their national interest
How was the Iraq War’s legality questioned? Which two sources back this?
2004 - UN secretary-general (Kofi Annan) deemed the invasion ‘illegal’ and not conforming to the UN’s founding charter
2016 - the UK’s ‘Chilcot Inquiry’ concluded that the war was ‘unjustified’ and Hussein’s regime posed ‘no imminent threat’
What is the source for the Iraq War being apparently in the UK’s ‘national interest’ to invade?
UK Prime Minister - Tony Blair - said Iraq represented ‘a current and serious threat to the UK’s national interest’
Which realist thinker opposed the Iraq War and believes it was not in the US’ national interest to invade?
John Mearsheimer
How many countries does China’s ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (BRI) cover? And how much did it cost China?
139 countries
As much as $4 trillion in direct investments
