PP2- Theory - realism and liberalism

International Politics

• Course: POLS 1301

• Session Focus: Theoretical approaches to International Relations (IR) - Realism and Liberalism

Theory Overview

• Interest in IR theory: Understanding the foundational concepts.

• Definition of Theory: Collection of propositions that explain phenomena by specifying the relationships among a set of concepts (Mingst).

  • Central feature across all fields.

  • Generates testable hypotheses (e.g., democracies do not go to war against each other).

  • Focus on identifying patterns for confirmation.

Features of Theory

• Theories are not absolute; they do not explain all events.

• Evolution of theories: They may evolve, be revised, or adjusted over time.

• Characteristics of a good theory:

  1. Generalizability: Should apply broadly, not limited to one geographic area.

  2. Longevity: Should stand the test of time (e.g., Darwin's theories).

• Theories can be overturned or discarded upon new evidence (e.g., the geocentric theory).

Importance of Studying IR Theory

• Understanding Complexity: Theories help make sense of a complex and nuanced world.

• Underlying Assumptions: We use certain theories and assumptions to interpret our environment.

  • Organized and coherent assumptions form a theory.

• Framework for Understanding: Provides a framework for explaining and predicting state behavior.

  • Highlights the link between theory and practice in IR.

  • Illustrates how theory informs practice and vice versa (

    • IR professors as advisors to leaders who are influenced by theories).

Branches of IR Theory

• Diverse Theoretical Landscape: Theories include realism, liberalism, constructivism, critical theories, etc.

  • They address various aspects such as wars, international organizations (IOs), trade behavior, and democracy.

  • Theories can be descriptive vs normative, formal vs verbal, mainstream vs critical.

• Utility of Theories: They assist in comprehending complexity and explaining political behavior.

Key Actors in IR Theory

• States: Viewed as unitary or non-unitary actors (focusing on certain characteristics).

• International Institutions: Bodies like the UN and treaties that establish rules for interaction.

• Multinational Corporations (MNCs): Connect states and hold significant power impacting state behavior.

• Individuals: Personalities can greatly influence foreign policy (e.g., US foreign policy under different presidents).

Realism in IR Theory

• Dominance: Classical and neo-realism served as dominant theories, especially during the Cold War.

• Power Struggle: Key focus is on the struggle for power within an anarchic international system.

  • States aim to maximize their power and dominance (examples: US, China, Russia).

• Human Nature vs Systemic Structure: Questions arise whether this behavior stems from human nature or the anarchic structure of the international system (Morgenthau vs Waltz).

Structure of Realism

• Anarchy: No supreme authority exists above states; illustrates the absence of a world police (ex: South China Sea tensions, North Korea).

• Self-Help System: States rely on their own resources for security.

• Competing States: States show a propensity for competition and conflict (ex: Middle East).

  • Concepts of Security Dilemma and Balancing Behavior emphasize state interactions.

  • Hegemony is often deemed essential for stability (as seen in UK and US history).

Neorealism (Structural Realism)

• Waltz’s Contribution: A reinterpretation of realism focusing on the structure of the international system rather than human nature.

• Distribution of Power: War and peace depend largely on the international power structure.

  • Power distributions can be unipolar, bipolar, or multipolar.

Relevance of Realism & Neorealism

• Vital to understanding contemporary international relations.

• Informs practitioners and decision-makers about international debates and relations.

• Relevant in contexts such as the return of power politics and great power rivalries (e.g., US-China, US-Russia, East Asian security).

Origins of Liberalism

• Optimism About Human Nature: Liberalism holds a more positive view, focusing on reason, progress, freedom, and rights contributing to peace.

  • Influenced by 18th-century Enlightenment ideals.

• Rational Individuals: Views individuals as rational beings, challenging the idea that war is inevitable.

  • Key theorists: Kant, Montesquieu, Wilson, Keohane.

Principles of Liberalism

• Mitigating Rivalry: Liberalism presents alternatives to rivalry and competition.

• Support for:

  • Spread of liberal values (e.g., democracy - Democratic Peace Theory).

  • International institutions, international law, and human rights.

  • International free trade as a form of economic interdependence.

• Cooperative Nature: States can prioritize prosperity and cooperation over power competition (character of states matters).

Neoliberal Institutionalism

• Post-WWII Developments: Following WWII, liberalism fell out of favor but evolved into Neoliberal Institutionalism.

  • Gained traction in the 1970s to explain cooperation between states despite anarchy.

  • Highlights the concept of Complex Interdependence among states.

• Broader Security Concerns: Addresses that states are not only concerned about security but also about absolute gains, leading to fewer instances of military force.

Testing Liberalism’s Claims I

• Democracy and Conflict: Evidence suggests democracy reduces conflict.

  • Doyle notes that no two democracies have engaged in full-scale war since 1816.

  • Levy (1988) refers to the absence of war between democratic states as near empirical law in IR.

  • Constraints on the use of force may reduce downward spirals into conflict.

Testing Liberalism’s Claims II

• Role of International Organizations: Organizations like the UN and WTO are posited to reduce conflicts by promoting cooperation.

  • Oneal et al. find that increased membership in IOs correlates with reduced military conflicts.

  • IOs play a mediating role and foster adherence to norms, though not sufficient for peace on their own.

  • Critics (e.g., Realists like Mearsheimer) argue that IOs are often ineffective.

Examination of IR Theories

• Inquiry into which of the two mainstream schools of thought—Realism or Liberalism—most aptly explains international dynamics.

• Analysis of the merits and demerits inherent to both schools of thought.