Politics Semester 2 Revision Notes – Contemporary International System
Course Concepts defined:
Theory: simplifying device that allows you to decide which facts matter and which do not
Contemporary – Contemporary era as that which had developed since two dates..
1. 1945 – UN created as international organisation and subsequent process (in 1950s) of de-‐colonisation.
The generalisation of a system of interstate order that had originally been created in Europe 2 centuries before – Westphalian order, based on states having relative independence or autonomy. System
generalised after 1945, by 1950s universal entry into UN allowed, any entity that seemed like a state was allowed to be a part of the UN.
2. 1989 – the fall of the Berlin Wall – the end of the cold war which was centred in Europe but had been generalised to the whole world – negative ramifications for whole world. Couple of years before end of the Soviet Union. Significant turning point in world politics – still a post cold-‐war era.
International –Jeremy Bentlam (1870) -‐ law of nations – rules of conduct between nations/states. Particularly in contemporary era meaning of international expanded beyond states, states no longer only actors in international
System -‐ refers to the structures of international system, not necessarily ordered.
4 Key Ideas in International Relations
1. Normative dimension: All discussion and analysis in International Relations has two aspects: Both empirical (explaining what world is/occurred) and normative (what should be, what should occur)
2. Continuous change: Nothing is fixed for ever politically, even if change is often extremely slow
3. Social construction: no natural laws -‐ rules that are socially constructed/potentially changeable
4. Transnational action: separation between domestic and international politics increasingly tenuous. If have system where no higher authority (anarchy) -‐ doesn’t mean can’t have order -‐ international society comprised of different sovereign states protecting own autonomy but states abide by norms.
The 20th Century International Order – Evolution of the International System
World War 1
• Dispute between Germany and France, nationality in the Balkans and disintegration of the Austria Hungarian empire.
• Treaty of Versailles: Resolved WW1
o Established League of nations – failed to address European security, created instability and financial reparations on Germany.
o Collapse of European Empires and great depression – sympathy for communists and facists
World War 2
§ Rise of Hitler challenges powerless European leaders
§ After -‐ Power vacuum in Europe -‐ no Germany. US and Soviet union remaining.
§ The American conception
o Roosevalt believed security problem absence of collective effective security measures o Americans gave economic aid in Europe to help economic institutions -‐ Marshall plan
o Soviet saw this as economic imperialism -‐ use it as a way to influence states
• Warsaw pact
o Economic interdependency and growth -‐ US post war economic plan The Cold War
1. Absurd military competitions occasional extreme crisis -‐ Cuba in 1962.
2. Entrenched in geopolitical conflict based on division of Europe and Germany
i. International competition for influence -‐ division of Europe and division of Germany
ii. Lord Ismay: “to keep Americans in Western Europe , the Germans down and the Russians out”
3. Underlying political control -‐ political elites in both western and Stalinist societies using existence of confrontation in two above arenas to limit expression of dissidence within
i. Michael Cogs “ very beneficial to the main actors in the cold war” -‐ three actors
1. United States -‐ Provided justification large number of actions -‐ nuclear weapons 2. Western Europe -‐ economic development, overcoming historic amnesties between
France/Germany, US dealt with defence, allowed eastern Europe to develop 3. Old Soviet Union -‐ wanted to be not disturbed and military, political, social buffer
End of the Cold War
• Crumbling of the Soviet empire
o Europe increasingly aware that consumer goods are terrible -‐ communist reign disillusionment
• Helsinki Accords
o Soviets wanted people to agree that eastern borders were inviolable – included HR agreement o Monitor human rights violations – leads to mass movements against communism
o Opening borders between Austria and Hungary -‐ geographically breaks down barrier
• Fall of the Berlin War -‐ official end of the cold war
• Causes:
o The US won -‐ Star Wars and Soviet expensive and ineffective Red Army presence in Afghanistan o Soviet internal changes -‐ Economy broken, Glacnost and perestoika (openness), Gorbachov o Lack of response to the crumbling empire – Gobachov/busy with Afghanistan commitment
Theories of world politics
• Normative position – task of academic study -‐ making the world a better place. Idealistic.
1. Realism: world as it ‘really is.’ Contra argument against idealist writers inter-‐war period focussed war cause
§ Three core principles
1. Statism: State pre-‐eminent actor. All others insignificant. States sovereign (no actor above)
• Criticism: challenges to state power from ‘above’ and ‘below’ and inability of sovereign states to respond to collective global problems such as famine etc
2. Survival – first priority ensure survival of their state – not guaranteed in anarchy. – power
• Criticism: no limits to what actions a state can take in the name of necessity?
3. Self-‐help – principle of action in anarchical system -‐ states responsible for ensuring own well-‐being and survival. If threatened – state should seek augment own power capabilities
• Criticism: self help not inevitable consequence of absence of world government. logic that states have selected. Examples where states preferred collective security systems,
§ Distribution of power: size and military power of states. Military power only important state attribute o Balance of power – states act to prevent any one state dominating
§ Security dilemma – spiralling, in situation of acute insecurity – arming causes insecurity
§ States fighting/preparing to fight all the time. But states rational/invisible hand o Polarity of the system – how many powers in the system. (Waltz)
o Multipolarity – whole lot of people to worry about – unstable BOP
o Bipolarity – only one other state to worry about – stable (fleeting) – know threats
§ Variants of realism
o Structural/neorealism –
§ Rousseau (1750) – not human nature but anarchical system that fosters fear
§ Kenneth Waltz – 1979 – anarchy leads to self-‐help -‐ states seek to maximise security.
§ Mearsheimer (2001) – maximise relative power position. Rational, cost benefit analysis
• Organising principle -‐ Anarchy – decentralised IR realm. Hierarchy – domestic order.
• Differentiation of units -‐ Similar sovereign states hence unit-‐level irrelevant
• Distribution of capabilities -‐ Power means to end (security). # of powers = structure
o Defensive realism – want just enough power to keep safe. Too much-‐ become target, ppl balance
o Classical realism -‐ Precedes structural realism (starts in 1950s)
§ Thucydides – international politics driven by power struggle, roots human nature.
§ Machiavelli (1532) –principles subordinated to policies, adapt to political configurations
§ Morgenthau (1948) – Politics governed by laws created by human nature..
