Bull - society of states/anarchical society theory/liberal realism

Dominant force

• Power!

Cooperation:

• Possible

• Lack of ultimate authority over states means can still maintain sovereignty while obeying common laws/rules/institutions

Post-WW2 events that support Society of States

• 🇪🇺

  • States are still the primary actors

Premise

• International stage is anarchic

Difference to neorealists

• Absence of order won’t inevitably lead to power/conflict struggle

  • States are capable of long-term and semi-permanent cooperation

Difference to liberals

• States not selfless and moral but cooperate if there are clear mutual gains and they can ID universally common interests

Diplomatic immunity

• Example of universally common interest followed by all states

  • Diplomats cannot be prosecuted and punished for a crime

    • Agreement that diplomats wouldn’t murder people

      • Also just want their own diplomats to be safe

• Builds channels of communication between states and establishes common ground

US embassy in London

• Currently owns £100m+ in congestion charge fees and parking ticket fines

Long-term consequence of Bull’s theory

• Group of states/political communities that form a system and have established common rules and institutions to conduct their relations and recognise their common interest

Institutional cooperation?

• Limited

Self-interest

• Will act if it clashes with institution but won’t totally destroy it because it’s in their self-interest

Neo-medievalism

• Erosion of classical state sovereignty → configuration of global politics

  • Different politics and bodies would share geographically overlapping sovereignty in a territory

• Similar to medieval world in which gov’t had to share sovereignty with local rulers