poli240 midterm 2

Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact

• Argument: If polar-opposite ideologies (Fascism and Communism) can sign a non-aggression pact, then national interest may be more important than ideology.

Appeasement: The Munich Agreement is often seen as a failure of "appeasement" (giving in to a dictator), though some argue it was a strategic move by Britain to buy time for rearmament.

The "Mean Girls" Theory of IR:

• is is a pedagogical tool used by the professor to explain emulation. Rising powers (Germany, Japan) looked at the "in-group" (Britain, France) and saw that "Great Powers have empires." Even if an empire was a drain on resources, these states copied the behavior to fit the "Great Power" identity.

Resource-Driven Conflict:

• Battle of Stalingrad: Fought largely for control of oil in the Caucasus Mountains.

• Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere: Japan's propaganda-led empire aimed at pooling regional resources under their control.

What is the "Billiard Ball" model of the state?

 The idea that states are self-contained, uniform units that interact by bouncing off one another, with their internal politics being irrelevant to their external behavior.

How did the Machine Gun change the "Modern System" of warfare?

It ended massed infantry charges, forcing militaries to focus on cover, concealment, and small-unit fire-and-movement tactics.

What was the primary goal of the Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)?

To renounce war as an instrument of national policy, effectively making it an "illegal" way to resolve international disputes.

Mercantilism as a Cause

• In the early 20th century, states couldn't easily buy resources like oil and steel due to high trade barriers. Japan's move into Southeast Asia was a direct response to a U.S. embargo on these resources; they felt they had to politically control territory to ensure economic survival.

• Strategic Aerial Bombing: WWII introduced the systematic destruction of cities from the air. This erased the line between combatant and civilian.

  • The Surrender Debate: The lecturer notes a statistical argument that the Atomic Bomb was not as "shocking" to Japan as often thought, because conventional firebombing had already destroyed many cities more thoroughly than the Hiroshima blast.

The most significant impact of WWII was the collapse of empires and the global spread of the Westphalian model.

• Weakened Empires: Even though Britain and France "won," they were economically shattered and could no longer afford to maintain colonies.

• The Shattering of Myths: Colonial troops (Indians, Southeast Asians) saw the "colonial core" defeated or struggling, which destroyed the myth of imperial superiority.

• The UN Expansion: When the UN was founded in 1945, they expected only 20–30 members. Due to rapid decolonization, they didn't have enough chairs for what eventually became 193 member states.

Identity Shift: Post-colonial leaders adopted the European Nation-State model as the "legitimate" form of political authority

 The Cold War: Containment and Perceptions

The Cold War was defined by a shift from "making friends" to "containing enemies."

Key Concepts & Documents

• The Long Telegram (1947): George Kennan argued that the USSR was inherently expansionist and could not be reasoned with; this birthed the Containment Strategy.

• NSC-68 (1950): A secret document that militarized the U.S. approach to the Cold War, defining the Soviet Union as a permanent enemy.

• The "Monolithic" Myth: The U.S. initially believed all communist actions (like the Korean War) were ordered by Moscow. We now know Stalin was often wary of his allies' (like Kim Il Sung’s) aggressive moves.

Nuclear Weapons and Deterrence

• Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD): The Cuban Missile Crisis led to a "mutual realization" of the danger of accidental war.

• Arms Control: The 1970s period of Détente (thawing of relations) saw the first major efforts to manage the "arms race spiral" and fix misperceptions of the adversary's intent.

Hegemony vs. Dominance

In IR, Hegemony is distinct from pure empire or dominance because it requires legitimacy and consent.

• The Hegemonic Bargain: Other states accept US leadership in exchange for Public Goods (security, stable markets, etc.) and a promise that the US will not overreach.

The Breakdown: The professor argues this bargain began to fracture after the 2003 Iraq War (unilateral action without UN consent) and the 2008 Financial Crisis (which signaled that the US might not be an expert economic manager).

Modern Instability: Domestic Politics vs. Strategy

• The Wile E. Coyote Moment: The US may be "running off a cliff"—it looks stable until it looks down.

• Domestic Interference: Much of what looks like "international strategy" (e.g., threats to annex Greenland or intervention in Venezuela) may actually be driven by domestic populist politics rather than national security.

Russia's Pivot: The professor notes that in the 1990s, Russia (under Yeltsin and early Putin) considered joining NATO. The failure of this integration was largely due to Russia's refusal to be a "junior partner" and US suspicion following decades of rivalry.

Sovereignty in Principle (The Norms)

• Inviolability: The physical space of an embassy is untouchable by the host country (e.g., the UK police could not enter the Ecuadorian embassy to arrest Julian Assange).

• Legal Equality: Fiji has the same vote in the UN General Assembly as the USA.

• Treaty-Making: Only sovereign actors can sign international treaties (unlike a contract with a landlord, which is enforced by a higher provincial authority).

Sovereignty in Practice (The Messy Reality)

• De Jure (Legal) vs. De Facto (In Practice):

  • Taiwan: Has de facto sovereignty (governs itself) but lacks de jure recognition from most countries (like Canada) because of the "One China" policy.

  • Palestine: Has significant de jure recognition and UN observer status but lacks the full de facto capacity/control of a state.

  • Somaliland: Operates as a state but is recognized by almost no one.

Interdependence: No state, not even the U.S. or North Korea, has absolute control over everything within its borders due to global trade, technology, and environmental factors

 Redefining Hegemony

The professor clarifies that Hegemony is not just "being the boss."

• Legitimacy & Consent: Hegemony requires other states to willingly follow.

The Breakdown: When a hegemon (like the U.S.) stops providing "public goods" and starts using pure coercion (threats, kidnappings, annexations), it ceases to be a hegemon and becomes a mere Dominant Power. This shift is often driven by the "instability" of domestic politics rather than a grand international strategy

What is "Structuralism" in IR?

The belief that the international system's setup (like the number of superpowers) dictates how states behave, leaving them with little choice or "agency."

 Give an example of a "State Level" explanation for a war.

A country went to war to boost its leader's tanking approval ratings or because a powerful domestic interest group (like the military-industrial complex) lobbied for it.

 What is the difference between "Anarchy" and "Chaos"?

Anarchy is the absence of a central governing authority above states; Chaos is a lack of order. Anarchy can still be orderly if states cooperate or balance power.

Define "Soft Power.

The ability to get what you want through attraction (culture, political ideals, policies) rather than coercion (payments or threats).

Structural Power & The Vancouver CanucksThe Problem: Why do the Canucks struggle to attract free agents?

The Answer: It isn’t just that they might "suck" (Compulsory power of a better team). It is Structural: factors like high tax rates in BC or intense media pressure are part of the system the players exist in. These are "asymmetric positions" that the team doesn't directly control but which define their ability to act.

Productive Power & K-Pop

• The Mechanism: This is the most diffuse. There is no "mastermind" or button a president can push.

The Result: It defines what actors want. K-pop fans don't just "buy a meal"; their identity and interests are shaped by symbols and discourses (like a boy band's merchandise) to the point where they will swarm a McDonald's, creating a new political reality.

 Is Terrorism "Rational"?

• Signaling High Resolve: Suicide attacks signal that an actor cannot be deterred. If you are willing to die, you cannot be threatened with death.

• Provocation Strategy: The goal isn't just the immediate damage (e.g., the 3,000+ deaths on 9/11), but to provoke the "Great Power" into an expensive, protracted conflict.

The "Success" of 9/11: From al-Qaeda's perspective, the attack "worked" by drawing the US into wars costing trillions of dollars and thousands of lives, ultimately undermining US global credibility and bogging the superpower down