Untitled Flashcards Set

Chapter 5: The State and the Tools of Statecraft

• Over the last decade, tensions between the US and China have been rising. Because of blame for COVID

• 2018 US tariffs on Chinese imports, which became a trade war, and then spilled over into other economic issues like exchange rates.

The State Defined

• Four fundamental Legal Conditions by 1933 Montevideo Convention 

→ territorial base

→ stable population

→ an effective government to which the population has allegiance

→ recognized diplomatically by other states

→ nation vs state

State Power

• Power: the ability not only to influence others but also to control outcomes so as to produce results that would not have occurred naturally

• Wielding power is dependent on power potential: depends on a state's resources it has at its disposal to try and wield possible influence. Natural, tangible, intangible.

• Realists: natural and tangible power sources

• Liberals: Natural, tangible, intangible

• Constructivists: emphasize non materialist sources found in the power of ideas, power of ideas ect.

Natural Sources of Power Potential

• Flows from innate characteristics of the state

• Three most important: geographic size and position, natural resources, and population.

• One view from 1890s: state controlling the ocean 

• 1900s: the state that controlled the heartland of Eurasia had the most power

• Power with natural resources can trump geographic size, if the country has a lot of something like oil 

• US Russia South Africa: have vast power bc of diverse natural resources

• Sought after resources makes you a target (ex: kuwait)

• Population automatically give power potential, and often great power status

Tangible Sources of Power Potential

• Industrial development, economic diversification, level of infrastructure, characteristics of military

• These variables can alter the importance of natural power sources

• Industrialized states generally have higher educational levels and more advanced technology, and they use capital more efficiently, all of which add to their power potential.

• For Example:

→ air travel makes geographic expanse less of a barrier

→ large but poorly equipped armies are no match for armies with advanced equipment

Intangible Sources of Power Potential 

• Public support, morale, quality of government and leadership

• Perception by other states of public support and cohesion

• State governments actual support among its own population

• US in vietnam was not successful bc of the the challenges and disagreement undermined military effectiveness

• Loss of public support may also inhibit authoritarian systems

• Leadership: visionaries and charismatic leaders are able to augment potential power by taking bold initiatives

• Realists argue intangible sources of power are ineffective compared to coercive use of tangible sources

• Poor leadership can squander resources 

• Liberals would place greater emphasis on intangible sources

• Constructivists recognize both but also argue it comes from ideas and language

Hard VS Soft Power

• Hard power: states using various sources of power (economic or military) to coerce other states into adopting actions in its interests

• Soft power: the power to attract states to change their behavior rather than having to coerce them into doing so; power is based on the legitimacy of the state’s values or its policies

→ Persuasion can often be successful when the persuading party’s actions, values, and policies are seen as legitimate and attractive

• Smart power: using the combo of the hard power of coercion and the soft power of persuasion and attraction

Tools of Statecraft

• Statecraft: techniques states use to exert influence and project power including diplomacy, economic, and use of force tools

• All three techniques require credibility: a state must have both the ability and incentive to act using a certain policy in order for other states to believe that it will see it through

• State may begin with one approach and then try several others to influence intended target

• Different types of states make different choices

The Art of Diplomacy

• Diplomacy: the practice of states trying to influence the behavior of other states by bargaining, negotiating, taking specific non coercive actions or refraining from such actions, or appealing to the foreign public for support of a position

• Diplomacy is made more complicated by Putnams “two level game”

• Harold Nicolson: diplomacy usually begins with negotiation (indirect or direct communication) in an attempt to reach an agreement

• This happens either tacitly or directly

• Tacit bargaining: actions (vs verbal written) are critical to means of communications. Each party recognises that a move in one direction leads the other to respond in a way that is strategic.

• Direct bargaining: one side offers a proposal and the other responds. Generally repeated many times until the pirates reach a compromise

• Though the outcome of negotiations is always mutually beneficial, the outcome is not likely to please each party equally

• Most states carry out two levels of bargaining simultaneously. The first level is international bargaining between states. The second level is bargaining between the state’s negotiators and its various domestic constituencies, both to reach a negotiating position and to ratify the agreement. The negotiator is the formal link between the two levels of negotiation.

• Public diplomacy: involves a country strategically targeting publics and elites in foreign countries with informational, cultural, and educational programming

• End goal of this is to create an image that enhances the advocating countries ability to achieve diplomatic objectives

• PD is soft power

• In the iraq war, public diplomacy was particularly useful as the American administration lobbied both friendly and opposing states

• Track one diplomacy: involve talks and negotiations among govt officials and actions taken as official government policy

• Track two diplomacy: not directly linked to the government of the states. Individuals from outside the government engaging in informal diplomatic interactions with the aim of helping resolve the conflict. Often helps facilitate official talks.

• Liberals view that talking is better than not talking to one's adversaries, discussion clarifies issues and that more forceful actions make diplomacy less effective and should be a last resort.

• Realists are more skeptical about the value of diplomacy. They acknowledge some benefits, but see state goals as inherently conflicted. Diplomacy only effective when backed by economic or military force

Economic Statecraft

• Positive Sanctions or Engagement:  getting a target state to act in a desired way by rewarding the moves it makes (“carrots” entice states to move in desired direction)

→ granting trading privileges

→ permitting trading in sensitive productions

→ giving corporations investment guarantees or tax breaks  

→ allowing importation of goods at best rates

• Negative Sanctions: threats or actions of punishment for moves target state makes in undesirable directions (“sticks”)

→ Freeze a target state’s assets.  

→ Prohibit certain financial transactions.  

→ Arms embargoes  

→ Comprehensive sanctions

• Smart sanctions: limited sanctions to hurt/support specific groups. Aimed to avoid humanitarian costs of sanctions. 

→ Smart Sanctions are seen as a cheaper option than general sanctions

• Liberals are wary of sanctions and Realists believe they are necessary

•  Ability to use instruments of Economic Statecraft depend on power potential

• Some liberals say developing states have econ leverage if they have resource that is limited

• Ability of sanctions to alter a target states behavior is mixed and does not always lead to intended outcome

• Sanctions can always have unintended negative consequences

The Use of Force

• Compellence: state threatens to use force to try to get another state to do something or to undo an act it has undertaken

→ example: prelude to the 2003 iraq war, when the US threatened Saddam Hussein that if certain actions were not taken, war would follow

• Deterrence: the policy of maintaining a large military force and arsenal to discourage any potential aggressor from taking action

→ credibility is essential 

Models of Foreign Policy Decision Making

The Rational Model: Realist Approach

• Most policy maker during crisis begin with this approach, as there is not a lot of time for diplomacy and other parties besides high ranking officials to be involved

• State assumed to be a unitary actor with established goals, a set of possible policy options, and an algorithm for deciding which option best meets its goals

• Process relatively straightforward