The problem of Anarchy Flashcards
What does Anarchy not mean
This does not mean chaos or disorder.
Anarchy definition
A absence of a higher authority, a centralised larger state, international order.
Lechners view on Anarchy
Lack of common superior in an interaction domain and a horizontal relation between nominally equal sovereign states.
IR and economics
Same to IR has scarcity is to economics, it is the foundation of the entire discipline, there are states and there is no higher power, they exist on their own. This is the starting point
Mainstream ideas about Anarchy - Realism
Realism as broad school and a way of looking at and understanding the world, it is not a theory of foreign policy.
Realism argues that beyond the level of the state there is no international authority, meaning that they operate on ideas of morality.
Lechner argues 4 things United Realists, central units in IR are unitary actors, states seek power, sphere of domestic politics differs from sphere of international relations, and the relations of states takes place under anarchy.
Realism says that states are the key actors in the realist story, and they coexist in a world where there is no supreme authority that can protect them from each other. This situation forces them to pay close attention to the balance of power, because they understand that being weak can leave them vulnerable. Thus, states compete among themselves for power, which is not to say they do not cooperate when their interests are compatible.
Classical realism
Classical realism, objective laws with roots in human nature (Morgethau). The idea that international politics is a struggle for power, and the reason for this is because of our human nature, we naturally are hungry for power.
Morgenthaus argument
Morgenthau argues that we have a ‘desire to dominate’ because of a fundamental drive in human nature.
Neo realism
Posited by Keneth Waltz
Arguing that human nature is largely irrelevant, states are concerned with survival and are conditioned by the logic of the system into similar patterns of behaviour, the international system has remarkable continuity.
Security maximisation and influence maximisation
They are only concerned with themselves and their security, this is defensive realism. Stephen Walt.
Influence maximisation, you have to be proactive, states are power hungry and they want to take over and maximise their influence until another power stops them, these are called offensive realists.
the international system creates powerful incentives for states to look for opportunities to gain power at the expense of rivals, and to take advantage of those situations when the beneªts outweigh the
costs. A state’s ultimate goal is to be the hegemon in the system
Both part of the neorealism branch
Liberal world view
If there is no higher authority or higher state it does not mean we cannot come up with one, they have a very positive outlook on single morality and believe that progress is possible.
English school theory
-A ‘Society of states’ - The English School Theory
International society is about the creation and maintenance of shared norms rules and institutions
Alternative understandings
David Lake 2009 argues that weaker states are prepared to give up sovereignty to a club of powerful states in return for obtaining international security or other benefits. For example NATO and the EU.
The Image of global hierarchy, for example in the global economy, is radically different from international anarchy, is the world territorially bound with independent units if sovereignty and security can be traded like a economic good.
Mainstream theories don’t question ethical and foundation issues with anarchy, the idea of a statist world view for example.
Elephants in the room
How does the importance of culture such as the Association of southeast asian nations effect anarchy, the ASEAN is built on similiar cultures of non agression.
Emotions are also important, us as human beings are not always rational, neo realism believe that states make rational calculations, this is simply not the case. For example the Iraq war.
Emotional rivalries, individual and institutional disagreements, face saving, pride.
Postcoloniol perspective on anarchy
Nations states and state nations, the idea that there were molds placed on the western world. Nation states are organic, state nations means that states have built nations, more recently. Created by western empires, for example Egypt can be seen as a state nation.
Subaltern realism
The rest of the world is full of weak and unstable states, these have been exploited and are losers of globalisation, trade and commerce was created by western empires to serve the west, some countries were made fully dependant on foreign aid. If you are dependant on someone else for aid’survival then you do not challenge them.
Most of the world is full of developing states with resource curse, little governance. Oil rich countires for example are bound to sell oil to the west.
