Theories Flashcards
Democratic Peace Theory
The notion that democracies rarely go to war with other democracies and non-democracies, due to having shared norms and being held accountable from the citizens of their respective states. Also rarely abuse human rights.
First Perspective of D.P.T
Checks and balances are important (no one group has the ultimate decision making ability.
Free debate and transparency; a dedication to constituents
Government constraints are good for stopping executive power
The Second Perspective of DPT
A mechanism by which we select the leaders; these people care about their power
War is risky
Incentives to keep the peace
Democratic process mitigates war, as it is unpopular with voters.
The Three sets of dynamics in DPT
Institutions; constrain leaders
Norms; Democratic states view other states as peaceful and unthreatening.
Economic Interdependence; Democracy fosters economic which makes war unlikely.
The reality of DPT
This does not always happen in reality
The Key ideas of Liberalism/Neo-Liberalism
- Human beings are essentially good
- States are the main actors in IR
- Democracy, free market
- Much conflict is from miscommunication
- With proper communication, cooperation is possible
History of Liberalism
Prominent post WWI, and the focus of reducing conflict between nations
A foundation for the league of nations
What is the main assumption of liberalism?
International Cooperation is possible
Neo-Liberalism
Emerged in the 1970’s as the new orthodoxy
- A response to neo-realism
- MNC’s become quite important; the advent of globalisation, became ubiquitous.
- Also reflects changes in the West
These developments in IR facilitated the re-emergence of liberalism.
Crossover of Neo-realism and Neo- liberalism
Agrees with neo-realism on:
The centrality of structure
Juxtaposed with hierarchy in domestic cases
International theory is archaic
- States are important actors
- Pursue material rather than ideology
Neo Liberalism argues that…
Cooperation is possible under anarchic conditions.
States are interested in absolute gain rather than relative gains.
Absolute gain
Comparing you to today; Don’t care if other state entities gain as well.
Relative gain
Comparing gain to other states/entities
You do not engage with other states
You are engaged in competition
Interdependence Liberalism
Economic interdependence among states because:
- States shift their loyalty towards a new, common
center. - Under complex interdependence power resources other than military become important e.g. negotiation skills.
- States are more preoccupied with law politics (welfare for their citizens) than national security.
Institutional Liberalism
International Institusitons are of utmost importance in promoting cooperation amongst states
International regimes are also of utmost importance
- The overlap of interests between actors
Liberal Peace Theory
Democracies do not go to war with each other because:
Democratic leaders have the habit of settling disputes through negotiations rather than violence.
Democratic governments are controlled by the people
Democracies share common moral values.
Anarchy
The lack of overarching authority
The idea that the world lacks any supreme authority or sovereign. There is no hierarchically superior, coercive power that can resolve disputes.
Widely accepted as the starting point for International Relations theory.
Neo Realism views this as the permissive cause of war.
Sovereignty
The full right and power of a governing body over itself, without any interference. In political theory, sovereignty is a substantive term designating supreme authority over some policy.
National Security
Referes to the security of a nation state, including its citizens, economy, and institutions, and is regarded as a duty of government.
Comparative Advantage
The economic principle that certain bodies (be them states, regions, or otherwise) are inherently better suited in producing certain goods than others. Specialization is good.
Mercantilism
An economic doctrine, states should maximise wealth
A national economic policy designed to maximise the trade of a nation and, historically, to maximise the accummulation of Gold and Silver.
- Essentially “every man for himself”
- Closing off borders in economic terms
The Peace of Westphalia 1648
- Embraced the principles of sovereignty and non-intervention
- Marks the conventional starting date of the international system as a system of states.
- It ended the thirty years war
The Concert of Europe
Founded by the powers of Austria, Prussia, Russia and the UK. A system of dispute resolution used to maintain power.
International Relations Theory
International Relations Theory
- Provides a simplified conceptual framework
The study of International Relations from a theoretical perspective. It attempts to provide a conceptual framework upon which International Relations can be analysed.
Neo Realism: Why do wars happen
The distribution of power gets unbalanced
Neo Realism: States are interested in
Relative gains
Neo Realism: The most stable international structure
Bipolar structures are considered ideal
Neo-Liberal IR Theory: Interdependence
Compels states to cooperate more extensively
Constructivism argues that…
States interests are not given but emerge, and change, through interactions.
State identity is important to explaining/understanding world politics
- Anarchy is what states make of it
The observation of Democratic Peace
They rarely wage war against anyone
Rarely abuse human rights
Democracies rarely wage war on non-democracies
Why do democracies rarely fight one another?
Democracies are tightly linked economically; this makes wars too expensive
Similar strategic interests
Common norms of peaceful in DR
Electoral Accountability
Constructivism is criticised for…
Overlooking the role of material power
Being unneccessarily complicated
Too state centric
The Domino Theory of International Relations
A spread of Communism in East Asia
Liberal IR Theory, states have more or less power depending on…
The issue under consideration
Their economic wealth
Marxism
Concerned with class retaliations and income inequality.
Neo-liberals in IR believe that
International Institutions foster cooperation
All states can achieve their aims better if they accept constraints on their sovereignty
States are rational agents that respond to incentives.
States as rational actors in IR
States are interested in maximising their material utility
The Marxist approach to IR
Explains the relationship of interdependence between the core and periphery.
Dependency Theory
There are structural constraints to development
The notion that resources flow from a “periphery” or poor countries/undeveloped state to a “core” or wealthy states.
What is true of the league of nations?
They could do little to prevent Japan’s invasion of several countries.
Traditional Peace keeping during the Cold War
Consent
Impartiality
Use of force for the purpose of self defense only.
International Regime
The principles, norms, rules and decision-making procedures that regulate state interactions on a given issue,
Regionalism
The formation of cooperation agreements among neighbouring states.
Guerilla Warfare
The deliberate use of violence against military and security personnel in order to attain political, ideological/ religious goals
Terrorism
The deliberate use or threat to use violence against civilians in order to attain political, ideological and religious goals. The key term here is civilians
Vertical Proliferation
The increase and stockpiling of nuclear weapons by the five declared nuclear weapons states.
The agreement to combat chloroflurocarbons
The montreal protocol on ozone depletion.
What abuses can the ICC investigate?
Genocide
Disputes between individuals from other nations.
Securitization
The process by which a threat is seen as serious enough for a government to devote resources to counter it.
Kenneth Waltz; Neo Realist Theory
Nuclear weapons make the world more secure
The role of the European Commission
To propose and manage EU laws
