Power Politics

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Power Politics

• Identifying Theories O, S, T, I
• Realism, Neo-Realism
• Theory Practice Challenges to Theory
• Realism Post-9/11 World Order
• Realism Bush Doctrine

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Three World Views

• Conservative (preservation of status quo)
• Liberal (evolution of status quo)
• Revolutionary/Radical (overthrow of status quo)

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Different World Theories

• Realism, Liberalism
• Critical Approaches (postmodernism, radicalism,
  social constructivism, etc..)
• Teach us a lot about IR
• All have shortcomings
• They work best when each is used to raise
  questions to others
• No simplistic dogma

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Brief Overview

• Each theory offers a filter for looking at the
  world will be analyzed in depth under each
  topic
• Realism focuses on the shifting distribution of
  power among states
• Liberalism only democratic gvts are legitimate
  and politically reliable democracies dont fight
  each other.
• Radicalism Discontent with workings of
  capitalism and dominance relations
• Idealism (social constructivism) changing norms
  of sovereignty, human rights and international
  justice.

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Identifying Theories

• Origins (O) (intellectual heritage)
• Scope (S) (issue-areas, sub-fields)
• Type (T) (conflict vs. cooperation)
• Institutions (I) (value of Institutions)

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Realism (O)

• Reaction to idealism and unrealistic approach
  to IR, i.e. failure of League to prevent WWII
• Intellectual heritage Political realism is a
  wide-ranging intellectual tradition rooted in
  philosophy of Thucydides (History of
  Peloponnesian War), Sun Tzu (The Art of War),
  Machiavelli (the Prince) Hobbes (Leviathan)

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Realism (O)

• Sun Tzu (500 BC) advised rulers how to survive
  when war has become a systematic instrument of
  power moral reasoning not useful in front of
  dangerous armies
• Thucydides, the Peloponnesian Wars (431-404 BC)
  the strong do what they have the power to do and
  the weak accept what they have to accept.

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Realism (O)

• Origins in the state of nature, individuals
  survive and obtain security by mastering other
  individuals who pose a threat individuals are in
  war against each other individuals will compete
  to gain resources and secure their own safety
  (Hobbes-Leviathan, 17th c.). classical realism
• Founders Hans Morgenthau, Kenneth Waltz (modern
  realism, structural realism/ neo-realism)
• Doers Otto von Bismarck (RealPolitik), Henry
  Kissinger

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Realism (S)

• International relations is the realm of power
  politics realism focuses on shifting
  distribution of power among states
• Security affairs prime
• Economic cooperation relevant if security
  objectives are advanced

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Realism (T)

• Human beings are power-seeking, aggressive and
  fearful (Power Politics)
• International affairs is a struggle for power
  among self-interested states
• States exist in an anarchical state like the
  state of war (absence of global government)

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Realism (T)

• Anarchy not complete chaos or absence of
  structures and rules but lack of central
  authority to enforce rules
• In state of anarchy, prudence in foreign policy
  is a great value
• Deep pessimism about human nature (Morgenthau)

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Realism, Pragmatism Peace (T)

• Defensive realists war can be avoided through
  prudent diplomacy, states can mitigate causes of
  war by finding ways to reduce mutual danger (not
  only amoral pessimistic approach)
• Clear pragmatism about power can bring more
  peaceful world

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Realism (T)

• Weaker states ally to protect themselves from
  stronger ones
• Continuous balance of power (Europe 19th c.),
  weak states ally to punish aggressors incentive
  not to appear aggressive

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Realism (I)

• Counters naïve belief that international
  institutions and law alone can preserve peace
• Int. Institutions are inadequate
• International Law is a tool for powerful states.

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Neo-Realists

• Borrow Morgenthaus ideas about balance of power
  states behavior
• Stress different cause for their behavior not
  human nature but anarchy in the international
  system no authority to protect States
• Only way to provide security is through own
  preparation for war
• K. Waltz J. Mearsheimer

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Implications of Conceptual Paradigms

• Policy-makers invoke elements of theory to
  address global security dilemmas
• Theorists need to adapt theories to make them
  more relevant

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Theory Practice Realism Post-9/11 Order

• Persistence of conflict, centrality of military
  power
• US response to 9/11 attack is in line with its
  great power
• Use of power to expand domination, for security,
  economic or other reasons
• US targets are States (Afghanistan, Iraq, etc..),
  rogue or failed states

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Challenges to Theory Post-9/11 Order Realism

• No formal balance of power to counter US power
  (Europeans and armed resistance but no military
  counter-weight)
• Importance of non-state actors transnational
  networks, individuals operating across state
  borders worldwide

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Implications of Conceptual Paradigms

• What implications for Bush doctrine?
  Neo-conservative approach to foreign policy

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Tenants of Bush Doctrine

• Skeptics who call themselves realists () have
  lost contact with a fundamental reality,
  America is always more secure when freedom is on
  the march (G.W. Bush)
• New Bush doctrine is a mix of pragmatic realism
  and Wilsonian liberal theory (Condolezza Rice)
• An amalgam of realism and liberalism, i.e.
  democratic realism (Ch. Krauthammer)

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Bush Doctrine

• Fight terror by spreading liberal democracy to
  the Middle East, starting with Iraq (domino
  theory)
• Peace in the region as democracies do not fight
  each other (regime change)
• UN and int. institutions are irrelevant
• They represent constraints to US power
• There is no international community
• Legitimacy starts and ends at home

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Neo-Conservative Logic

• US role of global Leviathan
• Unipolar world waive all constraints to US
  action (Kyoto Protocol, Land Mine Treaty,
  International Criminal Court, etc)
• Resolution of Hobbes problem global order is
  provided

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Post-Westphalian Order

• Transformation of international state system
• From Westphalian order, i.e. equilibrium between
  power and sovereign states
• To post-Westphalian logic rise of US power and
  erosion of state sovereignty (human rights,
  security issues) failed states

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Challenges From Theory Realists Bush Doctrine

• Coalition for A Realistic Foreign Policy
  (scholars public intellectuals) critics of US
  foreign policy conservatives vs.
  neo-conservatives
• Call for prudence
• The move toward empire must be halted

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Theory Reality (1)

• Occupation of Iraq vs. democracy in Iraq
• Democracy as an internal and progressive social
  contract or enforced from outside?
• Empires as tools for democratization?
• Problems of actual power, legitimacy, ideas and
  values (realist liberal paradigms)

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Theory Reality (2)

• Inherent contradiction assert US exception while
  promoting universal values at same time
• Appeal to democracy as real value or tactical
  move?
• Appeal to liberalism but disregard of
  international institutions

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Next WeekConceptualizing Power WWI

• I. Power
• II. Power Assets Capabilities
• II. Structural Power
• III. Bargaining Power