Studied by 9 people3 realist groups
-classical realist theory -neorealist theory -neoclassical realist theory
What levels do they focus on?
the classical realist theory focus on the tools -the neorealist theory focus on the structure -the neoclassical realist theory focus on the state itself
What are the essential questions?
what accounts for state behavior in general and in particular for the survival of states?
what produces and accounts for the dynamics of the international system?
key assumptions of the realist
-states are key actors -the system is anarchic -states are legally sovereign but have great power differences -states are rational actors who conduct cost- benefit analysis based on national interest power is most important concept to predict behavior -domestic politics can be separated from foreign policy
How does the textbook describe utopian thought?
Describes it as a world that its proponents would like to create
How does the textbook describe realist thought?
attempts to describe a world that is said to exist
Ways that Carr criticized realist and idealist
-He though utopians justified the interest of the dominant english speaking status quo powers
-He said utopians ignore the lessons of history, but the realists read history too pessimistically
-Idealists exaggerate freedom of choice, realists exaggerate fixed causality and slip into determinism.
-Idealists confuse national self- interest with universal moral principles, but realists are too cynical and deny that human thought modifies human action.
-To utopians, purpose goes over observation.
Give 3 names of realist from greek times
-Thucydides -Thomas Hobbes -Niccolo Machiavelli -Georg Hegel -Max Weber
Some of the sources of power that allow us to rank the capabilities of states?
-Territory -Size of population -Economic capability -Resources -Military strength
How does kindleberger define power?
Strength capable of being used efficiently.
Power can be exerted through
-Persuasion -Purchase -Coercion -Barter
Name or 4 of the most influential scholars who between the wars WW1 or WW2
-Henry Kissinger -E.H. Carr -Hans Morgenthau -Nicolas Spykman -Robert Strausz-Hupé -George Kenna
When does gilpin say you have equilibrium in the international system?
You have it when its major actors are satisfied with the territorial, political, and economic status quo.
What is the neorealist concept of structure?
structure is the way that parts are arranged and its dependent on whether it's hierarchical or anarchic. the more hierarchical a system is the more differences there are between them. The more anarchic they are, the more similar they are, so they get ranked in terms of their capabilities.
the international system is dependent on the distribution of capabilities in its units. when the structure changes, so does the way they interact with each other. so the outcomes their interactions have also change.
Critiques of realism
neorealist don't account for structural change
it's too Eurocentric
they don't have a common definition of power
they don't have an accepted understanding of the conditions needed for states to go to armed combat
3 types of changes that the international system goes through:
-Changes in the unit -Changes in the units of the system -Changes in the nature of its members of interaction
What does it mean when they say realism has a fractured foundation?
Because of its rich heritage and intellectual sources, realist theory is said to rest on what has been a fractured foundation: the effect of which is to undermine realism’s structural integrity
According to Kindleberger, ____________ is a means that exists even in the absence of its use for some goal, whereas _________ is the use of strength for a particular purpose. In Kindleberger’s words, _________ is the respect which is paid to power. __________ is the capacity to affect the decisions of others. _________ is the use of physical means to affect those decisions. ________ is defined as the condition under which A affects a significant number of B’s decisions without B affecting those of A.
strength, power, prestige, influence, force, dominance
The attempts made by leaders to make use of their authoritative status within the international community to enhance their domestic status.
External validation
Refers to the accumulation of resources from beyond the state borders, such as access to global markets or resources, that can be useful in achieving domestic objectives.
External extraction
under a broad range of contingencies, states, in a self-help system, decide to cooperate as a means of resolving the security dilemma.
Contingent realism
who developed classical realism and brought all the realist views together
Hans Morgenthau
who developed neorealism?
Kenneth Waltz
They tell you that a nation is the conditions of that nation (diplomats, how good the leader is, etc.). It’s not just the structure that’s anarchic, but also the characteristics that we find inside.
classical realism
Represents an effort to address the nature of international politics with the international system as the level of analysis They emphasize the structure no matter what it is.
neorealist
Places emphasis on the state, or the unit, level of analysis. They react to the neorealist. They say that they lost the beauty of the classical realist and the importance of diplomats, leaders, etc. they really emphasize the insides.
neoclassical realist
T OR F In utopian thought, based on the assumption that environing circumstances shape human conduct and that such factors can be altered as a basis for changing human behavior. So basically once the institutions and norms are in place, humans will alter their behavior to fit it
True
if people are free to select the form of government under which they live, they will choose representative forms of rule.
National self- determination
difference between neorealist and neoliberals
the meaning is the difference
Both sides accept the existence of anarchy, but they argue over the meaning and implications, and the extent to which development of institutions like the UN, NATO can transcend the basic structural characteristics of the anarchic international system.
T OR F realist think that politics is not the place for ethical philosophy because of the oath that leaders took to protect the country
TRUE
refers to the units of the international system and their relationship to each other
structure
T OR F geography DOES NOT shape the options available to states
FALSE
3 things you need for dependence
How much the dependent state needs to good
The amount of control the state influences has over the good
The ability of the dependent state to get the good somewhere else
T OR F power is situationally specific
power is less fungible than money
TRUE, TRUE
according to Morgenthau, international politics have 3 types
making policy to keep power, increase power, or demonstrate power
used to keep the existing distribution of power by adopting policy that might prevent big shifts in the distribution of power.
Status quo policy
a policy of extending your rule over foreign countries
Imperialism
impress other nations with power that one's own nation actually possesses, or with the power it wants other nations to believe it has
Policy of prestige
neorealism is also known as
structural realism
an integrated multimethod system of inquiry. tries to look at phenomena from
constellation analysis
a way to compare the costs and benefits of an intervention
cost- benefit calculations
rationality assumption
a state will attempt to change the international system by means of territorial, political, or economic expansion until marginal costs of additional change become equal to or exceed the marginal benefits
structure according to Waltz
connotes the way in which the parts are arranged
T OR F In an anarchic system there's a hierarchy due to state capabilities, this other thing that leads to the security dilemma
TRUE
Who was the first to break the levels into domestic and international, but focused too much on the international
Kenneth Waltz
how do states respond to crucial threats?
Ignoring the threat Hiding from the threat by declaring neutrality Adopting a strictly defensive position Withdrawing into isolation. Bandwagoning
T OR F Waltz says that neorealism doesn't furnish a comprehensive theory of IR
TRUE
includes not only power and institutions but also rules and norms
Deep structure
Note
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