Chapter 2: Theories
of World Politics
Concepts
 Paradigm: Dominant way of
looking at a particular subject;
structured patterns of inquiry and
interpretation
 Theory: Set of hypotheses
postulating relationships between
variables; used to describe, explain,
and predict; must be falsifiable and
stand the test of time
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The Philosophical
Underpinnings of Realism
Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War
(5th Century BC)
“The strong do what they can and the weak suffer
what they must.”
“Of gods we trust and of men we know, it is in their
nature to rule whenever they can.”
“What made war inevitable was the growth of the
Athenian power and the fear that this caused
in Sparta.”
“So far as right and wrong are concerned…there is no
difference between the two…”
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Central Assumptions
of Realism
 Anarchy

 States as unitary actors

 “Realpolitik”—states should be
prepared for war in order to
preserve peace
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Realism’s Tenets
(1 of 2)
 People are selfish and ethically flawed and
compete for self-advantage

 Eradicating this instinct is not possible

 The prime obligation of the state is
promoting the national interest
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Realism’s Tenets
(2 of 2)
 Anarchical international system requires
states to acquire military power


 Resist international efforts to control state
protection and institute global governance

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The Security Dilemma
 Insecurity leads states to arm, but
arms create more insecurity.

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The Evolution of
Realist Thought
 World War II
 East–West rivalry of the Cold War

• Used global level of analysis
•
•
• John Mearsheimer
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Variants of Realism
 Balance of Power Theory
 Hegemonic Stability Theory
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Criticism of Realism
 Could not explain increased cooperation
after World War II

 Lacks precision in defining key terms


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Other Criticisms: Defining Power in a
Meaningful Way is Difficult (1 of 2)
What factors make a state powerful? The three
tables above list the top 10 states (including the
EU as a single state) in three different categories
that might be used to assess power.
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Other Criticisms: Defining Power in a
Meaningful Way is Difficult (2 of 2)
The Venn diagram shows
which states are in the top
ten in one, two and three
categories. What does this
kind of analysis show us?
What does it obscure? What
other categories might be
used to assess power? Are
the different categories of
equal importance? All these
questions complicate efforts
to assess the role of power in
international politics.
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Liberalism
 Holds that reason and ethics can overcome
international anarchy to create a more orderly and
cooperative world

 Emphasizes establishing stable democracies as a
way to reduce conflict

 Emphasizes free trade because it helps prevent
disputes from escalating into war

 Also called “idealism”
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Three Strands of Liberal Theory
Variant of
Liberalism
Level of Analysis
Departure from
Realism
Liberal Institutionalism System. Retains basic
assumption of balance
of power theory.
Anarchy does not
necessarily lead to
conflict. Cooperation is
possible.
Complex
Interdependence
Theory
Sub-state, but not
exclusively. Focuses
on individuals, firms,
NGOs, organizations
within governments as
key actors.
States are not the only
important actors. Actors
have diverse interests in
international politics.
Much of IR has little to do
with military security.
Democratic Peace
Theory
State. Focuses on what States are not all
kind of government
essentially the same.
the state has.
Liberal (democratic) states
can solve disputes without
war.
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The Evolution of
Liberal Thought







World War I
Collective security
Complex interdependence
Neoliberalism
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The Limitations
of Liberalism
 Realists argue that institutions actually
exert minimal influence on state behavior.

 Realists also argue that liberals tend to turn
foreign policy into a moral crusade.
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Neorealism

 States’ behavior determined by
differences in relative power
 Distribution of capacities determines
structure of the international system
 Global level of analysis
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Neoliberalism
 Developed by critics of
realism/neorealism


 Points to regional integration,
especially the European Union
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Economic Structuralism
 Also known as Marxism
 Focuses on the distribution of wealth
• Motivation in politics
• Source of power
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Assumptions of
Economic Structuralism
 Economic determinism
 Class system
• Bourgeoisie
• Proletariat
 Surplus value
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Constructivism



 Power in international relations
revolves around actors’ ability to
persuade others to accept their ideas
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Important
Constructivist Terms
 Interests
 Identities
 Norms
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The Limitations
of Constructivism
 Inability to explain why and how
ideas change over time
 Privileging of structures over agents
in understanding international events
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The Radical Critique


 World-system theory: Views the world
capitalist system as consisting of a core,
periphery and semi-periphery; the core shifts
over time from one area to another

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The Feminist Critique
 Examines the exclusion of women in discussions
about international affairs and the injustice and
unequal treatment of women this prejudice caused


 Need to focus on the role of women as a whole,
not just female leaders
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Schools of Thought in
Feminist Theory
 Feminist Empiricism
 Feminist Standpoint Theory
 Feminist Postmodernism
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Turkish Women’s Attitudes
Toward Head Coverings
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Theorizing about Theory
 Deconstructivism
 Epistemology
 Behavioralism
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Questions for
Critical Thinking
(1 of 2)
1. What are the strong and weak aspects of
realism?
2. In the liberal paradigm, how does anarchy
create incentives to cooperate?
3. How does neoliberalism differ from
liberalism?
4. According to Marxist definitions, is your
family part of the bourgeoisie, or of the
proletariat?
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Questions for
Critical Thinking
(2 of 2)
5.
Which theory has the best explanatory and
predictive power regarding the
confrontation between the United States
and Iraq?
6.
Which theory has the best explanatory and
predictive power for world politics in
general?
7.
Does the nature of the international system
change over time?
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Web Links
 Contemporary Philosophy, Critical
Theory, and Postmodern Thought
 Data on the Net
 Feminist Theory Website
 Niccolò Machiavelli
 President Woodrow Wilson’s
Fourteen Points
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