IR Oral Exam

theme 1 power

A “power-lust” orientation prioritizes expansion, control, and security, often regardless of ethical cost.

theme 1 principle

principle refers to a commitment to norms, values, or moral standards in shaping foreign policy—such as human rights, international law, or collective security. Principle-driven decisions may restrain raw power in favor of legitimacy and justice.

theme 2 rise 

States or leaders often ascend by harnessing ambition and power-lust—mobilizing resources, inspiring expansion, and seizing opportunities.

theme 2 lust 

Power lust, when unchecked, can become self-destructive when pursuit exceeds capacity or ignores principle, alliances, or legitimacy

Illiad

achilles is too prideful and won’t fight, his friend dies and so he enacts revenge. agemmemnon takes achilles trophy (woman). parties can withhold alliance to shift power dynamics.

Odyssey

themes of the underworld, strength, betrayal, mediation by third party and stability through decisive power 

heraclites

universe is in constant flux, change is a fundamental truth of reality, unity in opposites, extinguish pride and fight for the city

homer

odysessy and illiad are steeped in rage, greece is in fragments, no one truly wins with revenge, power lust and juxtaposition of power 

herodotus

rise and fall of empires, hubris and arrogance lead to downfall (Xerxes), ir is shaped by values and culture, don’t overextend

thucydides

athenian historian emphasized human decision making as the cause of war, athens vs sparta, melian dialogue, realist, security dilemma, limits of morality in war

thucydides vs herodotus

herodotus is overdramatized storyteller, thucydides believes in leaving drama out, offers self help to the audience, how one behaves internally is how they behave in foreign affairs 

thucydides on revolution 

describes the evil of revolution, cause for evil is lust for power which rises from greed and ambition 

xenophon

greek economics, the safer the army becomes the more it breaks apart, anabasus

cyrus

things should be institutionalized and not left to the people, must have clear common goal, must help friends and harm enemies

plato

laws must aim for virtue not just victory/power, laws regulate value for the good citizen, growth in hardship and simplicity, too much freedom or authority can destroy a state

origin of the regime

dynasty to monarchy to aristocracy, politics morphs souls, law giving is a test of virtue

sun tzu

give the enemy an out, don’t fight for every single thing, costly side of warfare over winning/gain 

confucious

filial piety, conservative status quo, useful propaganda

mencius

benevolence and cruelty of a ruler determine kingdom’s success, imperial house sets the environment, human nature as a “liquid”

han fiezi

threats to the state create power that is outside of the state realm, internal balance is crucial for external balance, laws are supreme

polybius

internal environment and institutions lead to success, rome is hellbent on complete domination, state of nature leads to democracy which can fall to the mob (cycle), international system of connected states, institutions create stability

carthage and rome

carthage decline because in control of the masses, rome rise because in control of the senate. blame popular control for tactical decisions

3 lessons from polybius

1) imperial ideology 2) style > substance 3) dangers of unipolarity

Livvy

trace moral decline, socially conservative and wants to cure social decay to cure rome, the law has no discretion (brutus), pulvillus has to be the people’s friend, shared dangers are the strongest uniter

xenophon’s anabasus

xenophon emerges as leader after the greek generals are executed, persians betray greeks and slaughter them, in the end persia was not able to subdue them