SA

MOD 11: GOV 312L: US Foreign Policy - Key Concepts Review

🧭 Great Powers, the United States, and the International Political Order

(Detailed Study Notes — Based Only on Your Material)

I. Definition and Characteristics of Great Powers

  • Great Powers:
    Subset of states in the international system that possess significant global influence and resources.

  • Key Characteristics:

    • Large population and extensive territory

    • Strong, large-scale economy that provides leverage in global affairs

    • Advanced military capabilities superior to most other states

    • Global interests that extend beyond regional or territorial boundaries

    • Ability to shape international rules, institutions, and security arrangements

  • Core Idea:
    Great powers are not just strong states; they are the main architects of the international political order.

II. Great Power Wars and the Restructuring of Global Order

  • Long, multilateral wars among great powers tend to remake the global order by:

    • Redefining political boundaries

    • Changing the distribution of power

    • Establishing new rules and institutions

  • Peace Settlements mark the end of these wars and reset international structures.

  • Historical Examples:

    • Napoleonic Wars → Settlement of 1815

    • World War I → Versailles Settlement (1919)

    • World War II → Postwar Settlement (1945)

    • End of Cold War → 1990 restructuring

III. How Great Powers Shape International Politics

  • Victors Write the Rules:
    The winning powers design the new international system and determine its structure.

  • Ways Great Powers Influence Order:

    • Set conditions for statehood and sovereignty

    • Define regime type of new or reconstructed states (e.g., promote democracy)

    • Redistribute military power and decide who enforces the peace

    • Create enforcement mechanisms (reparations, alliances, security institutions)

  • Purpose:
    To shape long-term stability and satisfaction with the postwar status quo.

IV. The U.S. and the Post–World War I Order (1919)

  • American Influence under President Woodrow Wilson:

    • Promoted national self-determination (especially in Europe)

    • Supported democracy and anti-imperialism

    • Established collective security through the League of Nations

  • League of Nations:

    • Aimed to maintain peace through international cooperation

    • Ultimately failed due to lack of U.S. participation and weak enforcement mechanisms

  • Significance:

    • Introduced the idea that peace depends on democratic governance and global cooperation

    • Set the foundation for future U.S. involvement in shaping global order

V. The U.S. and the Post–World War II Order (1945)

  • Key American Leaders:

    • Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) and Harry S. Truman

  • Main Goals:

    • Promote democracy and economic recovery

    • Prevent the spread of authoritarianism

    • Build collective security systems in the West

  • Key Elements of the Postwar Settlement:

    • Marshall Plan: U.S. aid for European recovery and reconstruction

    • Nation-building: Rebuilding and democratizing Germany and Japan

    • NATO: Alliance for collective defense and deterrence against future threats

    • Creation of Global Institutions:

      • United Nations (UN): Forum for diplomacy and conflict resolution

      • International Monetary Fund (IMF): Stabilized global currencies

      • World Bank: Supported economic reconstruction

      • GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade): Encouraged free trade

    • Bretton Woods System: Established a liberal international economic order based on globalization and free markets

  • Outcome:

    • Consolidated an American-led liberal world order rooted in democracy, capitalism, and multilateral cooperation.

VI. Polarity in International Relations

  • Definition:
    The distribution of capabilities (especially military and economic power) among great powers in the international system.

  • Importance:
    Determines how power, alliances, and stability are balanced globally.

Types of Polarity

  1. Unipolarity:

    • One dominant power shapes global order.

    • Example: U.S. dominance after the Cold War (1991–2008).

  2. Bipolarity:

    • Two great powers dominate world politics.

    • Example: U.S. and USSR during the Cold War (1945–1991).

  3. Multipolarity:

    • Four or more great powers share influence.

    • Example: Europe before World War I or the modern post-2008 world.

VII. Bipolarity and the Cold War (1945–1991)

  • Effect of Bipolarity:

    • Created two stable coalitions (U.S. vs. Soviet Union).

    • Nuclear deterrence made direct conflict too costly.

    • Competition focused on ideology and economic systems, not territorial war.

  • Competing Systems:

    • United States: Democratic capitalism

    • Soviet Union: Authoritarian communism

  • U.S. Containment Policy:

    • Aimed to limit Soviet expansion without direct warfare.

    • Applied through economic pressure, alliances, and ideological influence.

  • George Kennan’s View:

    • The U.S. could strain Soviet policy to force moderation or reform.

    • Saw U.S.–Soviet competition as a test of America’s global leadership.

  • End of the Cold War:

    • The Soviet system collapsed under economic and political pressure.

    • Resulted in U.S. unipolar dominance after 1990.

VIII. The American-Led Order and Its Endurance

  • Historical Trend:
    Great power wars traditionally shape international order (1815, 1919, 1945, 1990).

  • Question Today:
    If major power wars are over, can the American-built system (1945–1990) endure indefinitely?

  • Modern Example:
    The war in Ukraine may represent a potential reshaping of global politics and a test of long-term peace.

IX. Sources of Great Power Peace (Since 1945)

  1. Economic Interdependence: Globalization, Nuclear Deterrence, Unipolarity

    • Globalization reduces incentives for conquest.

    • Nations gain access to markets and resources through trade, not war.

    • Example: U.S.–China relationship shows economic ties can prevent conflict.

  2. Nuclear Deterrence:

    • Secure second-strike capabilities make direct invasions unlikely.

    • Great powers maintain frozen territorial boundaries.

    • Conflicts shift to proxy wars (e.g., Vietnam) instead of direct confrontation.

  3. Unipolarity (1991–2010):

    • U.S. military dominance discouraged challenges.

    • Potential rivals avoided direct conflict due to overwhelming U.S. capabilities.

X. Summary of Key Themes

  • Great powers are the architects of world order.

  • Wars among great powers trigger peace settlements that reshape global politics.

  • The U.S. played a central role in creating modern international institutions after WWI and WWII.

  • Polarity defines how power is distributed — shaping alliances, threats, and stability.

  • Cold War bipolarity stabilized the system through deterrence, not warfare.

  • Since 1945, peace among great powers has rested on economic interdependence, nuclear deterrence, and U.S. dominance.

  • The future stability of this order may depend on how modern conflicts (like Ukraine) evolve.