Set 1B — Realism (Part 2), Liberalism & Constructivism

How does realism view international cooperation?

Realism is pessimistic about international cooperation.

What are absolute gains?

How much one state gains for itself.

What are relative gains?

How much more one state gains over another.

Why can relative gains make cooperation difficult?

The state that would lose in relative terms has an incentive not to cooperate with the other.

What is the security dilemma?

When one state's efforts to increase its own security inadvertently lead to a reduction in another state's security.

Why does the security dilemma occur?

States are uncertain about each other's intentions.

What can the security dilemma cause?

A permanent condition of tension and power conflicts among states, even if none actually seeks conquest and war.

Why do the realism slides describe security as a zero-sum game?

A gain in security for one state is a loss for the other.

What is internal balancing?

Building up one's own capabilities.

What is external balancing?

Augmenting power through alliances.

What is bandwagoning?

When states that might have opposed a threatening state instead choose to ally with it to avoid a war waged against them.

What is offensive realism?

The view that conquest pays. Expansionist policy creates a reputation for willingness to use force and intimidates rivals into cooperation.

What is defensive realism?

The view that conquest does not pay. States tend to balance against aggressors, and few wars benefit those that start them.

How does realism view the distribution of power?

The distribution of power determines the amount of peace and war in an anarchic international system.

What is unipolarity?

One state in the system has sufficient power to defeat all the others combined against it.

What is bipolarity?

Most of the system's power is divided between two states or coalitions of states.

What is multipolarity?

Power is divided among three or more states or coalitions of states.

What is liberalism?

A theory that emphasizes states' interests, such as peace and prosperity, as major drivers of state behavior and is more optimistic about international cooperation.

How does liberalism differ from realism?

Realism is top-down: the anarchic nature of the international system shapes state behavior. Liberalism is bottom-up: states' interests, such as peace and prosperity, drive behavior.

What are the three liberal approaches listed in the slides?

Democratic peace theory, economic interdependence theory, and liberal institutionalism.

What is democratic peace theory?

The theory that democracies rarely fight each other.

What is the normative variant of democratic peace theory?

Democracies share common values and interests, leading to mutual trust and respect.

What is the institutional variant of democratic peace theory?

Elected leaders are accountable to voters and interest groups. Public opinion and domestic constituencies often oppose war, creating incentives for peaceful foreign policy.

What is economic interdependence theory?

States are deeply concerned with prosperity, and economic ties create incentives for cooperation. Strong trade and financial links make states less willing to risk conflict.

How can economic interdependence discourage war?

The pursuit of prosperity discourages security competition and war.

What is liberal institutionalism?

An approach that focuses on rules of behavior created by states to guide how states should interact with each other.

According to liberal institutionalism, why is cooperation possible?

States engage in repeated interactions, care about absolute gains as well, international institutions foster cooperation, and cooperation is in states' self-interest.

What is constructivism?

An approach that emphasizes culture, identity, and social interaction instead of material distribution of power.

Who is the major constructivist theorist listed in the slides?

Alexander Wendt.

According to constructivism, how does a state's interpretation of reality affect its behavior?

State behavior depends not only on the objective reality of a situation but also on the subjective interpretation of that reality.

What does Alexander Wendt mean by “Anarchy is what states make of it”?

Anarchy itself does not dictate particular outcomes or require states to act in a self-interested or conflictual manner. State behavior depends on interactions and shared ideas.

How can repeated interactions shape relationships between states according to constructivism?

States may develop cooperative or hostile relationships depending on how they perceive each other.

How do realism, liberalism, and constructivism differ in their main emphasis?

Realism emphasizes anarchy, power, and national interests; liberalism emphasizes states' interests, such as peace and prosperity; constructivism emphasizes culture, identity, social interaction, and shared ideas.