cases in international relations ch. 2

define interest

interest refers to the values that the state holds

define national 

national refers to the state as the primary actor.

define national interest

the values of the sovereign state as an actor.

why is national interest important?

They are important because they promote the preservation and protection of the state's well-being.

intersubjectivity

refers to whether all observers can view the same phenomenon in the same way. A useful synonym for the term is objectivity,

why are national interests intersubjective?

the concept of national interest cannot be viewed the same way by all observers, so in other words, the idea is subjective and is a matter of opinion.

how does the intersubjectivity of national interests make it controversial?

it leads to differing viewpoints that can impact whether the issue is a matter of interest or not, and what the appropriate actions are and the extent to which action needs to be taken.

Nuechterlein matrix

researching and measuring the intensity of national interests

why is the Nuechterlein matrix difficult to apply in all situations?

because it cannot solve all matters and be a solid guide for all matters since all situations are unique

what is the VI-LTV distinction and why is it important?

the VI-LTV distinction made between interests that are vital or less than vital. it dictates whether or not a state will recourse to violence

what does VI mean on the VI-LTV interest distinction 

VI means “vital'“ and refers to conditions that are so important that the state will not compromise when wanting to attain it

what does LTV mean on the VI-LTV interest distinction 

LTV means “less than vital” and refers to conditions that are of descending but lesser importance to the state that would cause varying but not basic discomfort or inconvenience to the state.

describe conflict of interest

A conflict of interest is when the pursuit of one interest interferes with another interest

individual interest vs. international interest

Individual interest for example centers itself around the well-being  and prosperity of the individual and individual human rights, while international interests focus less on the prosperity of the individual and involve conditions that transcend national boundaries and which can only be addressed by international efforts.

what is a frenemy?

A “frenemy” is part friend, part enemy.

relate frenemy to modern US relations

an example is US relations with China because of conflicting interests and competition between the two states, but also because of occasional periods of cooperation.

what is a schizophrenic relationship?

a relation that is sporadic and constantly changing. 

describe the century of humiliation

growth of the country was stunted, china became weak and could not fight back against western occupation, and bled into the 20th century and could not resist other forms of occupation like japan.

how did century of humiliation end for china?

fall of communism and mao is succeeded by deng xiaoping who established the four modernizations

what are the four modernizations that happened during the century of humiliation (china)

technology and science, agriculture, and economic strength, and military