Theory in global politics Notes

Understanding Theory in Global Politics

1. Theory in global politics provides frameworks for understanding, explaining, and predicting international relations and political behavior.
2. Theories help simplify complex realities by highlighting key factors and relationships.

The Role of Theory in Global Politics

1. Simplification: Theories distill complex realities into manageable concepts.
2. Explanation: They offer insights into why states and actors behave in certain ways.
3. Prediction: Theories can help anticipate future trends and outcomes.
4. Normative Guidance: Some theories provide ethical or normative frameworks for evaluating political actions.

Key Theories in Global Politics

Realism

Key assumptions:

1. Humans are naturally selfish and competitive.
2. The international system is anarchic, there is no higher authority than the state.

Branches:

1. Classical Realism (focus on human nature)
2. Structural Realism (focus on international system)

Classical Realism

1. Key thinkers: Niccolò Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes
2. Core belief: Human nature is egoistic and power-seeking; states reflect this nature.
3. Hobbes’ view: Without authority, life is a "state of nature", "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short."
4. Implication: States act in their own self-interest, leading to competition and conflict.

Structural Realism (Neorealism)

1. Key thinkers: John Mearsheimer, Stephen Walt
2. Core belief: Power-seeking behaviour is caused by the structure of the international system, not human nature.
3. Five key assumptions:
   1. States exist in an anarchic global system.
   2. All states have some offensive military capability.
   3. States can never be certain of other states' intentions.
   4. States seek survival as their primary goal.
   5. States are rational actors making decisions in their own self-interest.

Offensive vs Defensive Structural Realism

1. Offensive realism (Mearsheimer):
   1. States should maximise power to ensure security.
   2. Global and regional hegemony are seen as strategic goals.
2. Defensive realism (Kenneth Waltz):
   1. Pursuing too much power creates instability.
   2. States should balance power to maintain security.
   3. Defensive states are more likely to win wars due to home advantage and nationalist resistance.
   4. Costs of conquest often outweigh the benefits.

Liberalism

1. Core Assumptions:
   1. States are not the only actors; international institutions, NGOs, and multinational corporations also play significant roles.
   2. Cooperation is possible through interdependence and institutions.
   3. Democracy and economic interdependence reduce the likelihood of conflict.
2. Key Concepts:
   1. Collective Security: States work together to prevent aggression.
   2. Democratic Peace Theory: Democracies are less likely to go to war with each other.
3. Criticisms:
   1. Overestimates the effectiveness of institutions.
   2. Underestimates the persistence of power politics.

Constructivism

1. Core Assumptions:
   1. The international system is socially constructed.
   2. Ideas, norms, and identities shape state behavior.
   3. Anarchy is what states make of it; it does not inherently lead to conflict.
2. Key Concepts:
   1. Norms: Shared expectations about appropriate behavior.
   2. Identity: How states perceive themselves and others.
3. Criticisms:
   1. Lacks predictive power.
   2. Can be difficult to operationalize in empirical research.

Marxism

1. Core Assumptions:
   1. Global politics is driven by economic interests and class struggle.
   2. The international system is characterized by capitalist exploitation.
2. Key Concepts:
   1. Economic Core vs Periphery
      1. The world is divided into wealthy "core" states and poor "periphery" states.
      2. Core countries benefit from global capitalism at the expense of the periphery.