PS 203 Lecture Outline 10 2 13 Realism and IR Parts I and II Learning Goals by the end of this lecture you should be able to 1 Describe the assumptions of classical realists and their view on human nature and conflict 2 Describe the assumptions of neorealists and their view on structure and conflict 3 Describe the similarities and differences between classical realists and neorealists 4 Describe Gilpin s neorealist theory and Waltz s neorealist theory and illustrate each with historical examples 5 Describe three consequences of anarchy 6 Explain two realist policy recommendations for survival and three realist policy recommendations to alleviate the security dilemma 7 Describe the damned if you do damned if you don t problem 8 Answer our five puzzles from the beginning of lecture 9 Define the following key concepts and illustrate each with an example unitary actor rational actor anarchy self help relative gains security dilemma bandwagoning balancing Realism and International Relations I What puzzles do realists claim to answer Why has no state been able to dominate the world Why view domestic politics within nations differently than international politics between nations How can status quo states end up at war with each other Why is cooperation between states often so difficult What can be done policy recommendations II What is realism overview An approach to the study of IP and the study of IR Adherents to realism are called realists They believe that the distribution of power amongst states is what explains their states behavior that distribution of power is totally important to explain phenomenon in international relations Questions of power are important in answering the distribution of power Who has the strongest economy Who has the strongest army Realists don t claim that they can explain everything to IR or why states become powerful or less powerful over time but they can tell you that why it is that balancing occurs Realist do not look to international organizations such as the UN or international law ideology none of it matters to realists When it comes to fundamental questions about power war peace money international trade etc two things are important 1 Who are the most powerful states in the system 2 Who is rising and falling As a consequence realism is the EASIEST theory to understand Advantage of realism Gives us nice and elegant theories to understand IR able to pluck out easy policy recommendations III What are the origins of classical realism A Thucydides the first realist Gave us the only account of the Peloponnesian War How does it explain war outbreak 1 balance of power 431 B C Sparta is the top dog in the region Athens is a rising star Thucydides sees a war outbreak due to an uneven growth rate in power 2 human nature doesn t change Ultimately is the problem of human nature explains cycles of conflicts in IR Human nature is unchanging Cannot correct fundamental flaw in human beings 3 unsentimental about power For him the lesson of the Milean dialogue is that the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must There is no good and evil strong do whatever they want and the weak has to suffer therefore there is no question of right or wrong B Hans Morgenthau an American realist Mid 20 century realist through WWII 1 human nature is the source of conflict Like Thucydides he said that human nature is unchanging cycles of conflict reoccur because of human nature s lust for power And when two states lust for power war is bound to happen 2 competition conflict among states is normal Because of this classical realists Thucydides Morgenthau concur that conflicts are what we are bound to see in a regular basis something normal C What assumptions do all classical realists share 1 power is material meaning military economic Only kind of power that matters just look at money military strength Money buys military strength Look at population size state s geography and resources Who has the ability to do what and to whom Look at these material capabilities rather than a state s intentions Eg Netanyahu to Rouhani on nuclear issue disarm and distrust that s all that matter for as long you have the capability of assembling nuclear weapons you should disarm immediately 2 states are unitary and rational actors Unitary actor a group that behaves as if it were an individual speak with one voice have consistent interests Rational actor someone who behaves in the most efficient way to obtain some desired outcome choose the path to achieve a goal that is most efficient the most benefit and the least cost For realists actors are therefore strategic What does it mean to be strategic Your best move depends on the move that the other person is going to or likely to make NOT ON THE MOVE THAT YOU THINK OUGHT THE OTHER TO MAKE The decision to go to war state peace depends on the move that another state is likely to make 3 human nature Man s lust of power is unchanging explains conflicts in IR Thomas Hobbs life in a state of nature is solitary poor nasty brutish and short Game of strategy playing against people Game of chance playing with luck playing against odds eg Roulette lottery Why should we care Try to figure out what would other states do for the common good IV Contemporary neo realists aka structural realists Neo realist contemporary realists scholars of 20th century structure of international system explains IR A Similarities to classical realists Share two assumptions 1 That power is material material power is the only power that matters no question of right or wrong etc 2 States are unitary and rational actors B Differences from classical realists Classical realist say that man s lust for power human nature drives conflicts 1 international system not human nature explains behavior Neo realists say that conflict is build into the structure of the system the most powerful want to stay on top least powerful want to work their way up and be the most powerful For neo realist states do not want more power for the sake of wanting more power power is instrumental power means something a goal to obtain something and that something is security security of state THIS IS THE KEY ASSUMPTION THAT SEPARATES NEO REALISTS AND CLASSICAL REALISTS Waltz neorealist systemic effect states can want peace may still end up at war the distribution of power between states pushes states into direction which they may not necessarily want to go in Sum of the parts not equal to the whole Neo