PS 203 Lecture Outline 10 11 13 Marxism and IR Parts I and II Learning Goals by the end of this lecture you should be able to 1 Compare and contrast the views of Marxists with liberals and neorealists on key questions 2 Describe Marxist explanations for war trade and economic crisis and illustrate each with examples 3 Explain three Marxist policy recommendations 4 Answer our four puzzles from the beginning of lecture Marxism and International Politics I What questions do Marxists claim to answer What explains wealth inequality and why is nothing done about it War and trade advance whose interest What explains the global economic crisis What can be done policy recommendations II What is Marxism A Overview Marxists are the radicals of IR theory believe that material forces are the driving history class interests economic specifically the economic elite explain state behavior They are somewhat optimistic of possibility of progress in IP because they believe that the international economic system which is set up for the elites in favor for their benefit will be overthrown by the socialists and that an equal state will be established Most people think Marxism is dead Marxist theory has been responsible for some of the most horrific regimes in history absolute failure with regards in constructing political sight Eg Stalin regime in Russia responsible for 10 million deaths Yale Cambodian Genocide project Khmer Rouge regime murdered 20 of the total Cambodian population B Why study Marxism Isn t it dead Marxism is incredibly influential in the 20 it is still at the heart of lots of different revolutionary movements in Peru Mexico Maoists insurgency in India th century and To understand the Cold War we have to understand Marxism as it was at the heart of the Soviet interests and ideologies in the Cold War ultimately shaped US policy in Cold War Marxism is the critique of power politics and capitalism Cassidy Marxist books will be valuable as long as capitalism endures Problem for Marx How can you get from critiquing capitalism to replacing a communist form of an economic state Marxist argue that economic interests explain political outcomes The rich has vast resources and the rich can exploit this vast resources to manipulate the government Acceptance of this argument will render you a Marxist Central argument Rich corporations determine national interests III What are the essential beliefs of Marxism A Theory of History Karl Marx said that history unfolds in a linear direction according to the logic of economic system Started with slavery slavery ended and gave rise to feudalism feudalism ended and gave rise to capitalism capitalism will undermine itself and give way to communism Marxist history material forces create consciousness all beliefs ideas religion comes from economic interests Economic systems determines political outcomes B Theory of Knowledge Karl Marx every force in history has some countervailing force Always have clashing forces specifically economic clashes C Theory of Capitalism Saw it as a necessary evil Capitalism is necessary as history evolves from slavery to feudalism to capitalism to communism Therefore without capitalism there can never be communism Why is it evil Capitalism enslaves people impoverishes the world to make a handful of people wealthy exploit by the rich Marx believed that capitalism will undo itself because of its exploitation People will unite against the wealthy side to overthrow them Capitalism will plant the seeds of its own destruction D Theory of Revolution Karl Marx predicted that the rich and monopolies will squeeze up the middle class and drive them into poverty For Marx only two key economic classes which are important countervailing forces 1st class working class proletariat 2nd class economic elite the bourgeoisie Marx predicted as the rich got richer the poor will get poorer fed up class conflict will occur and will come to a peak results in capitalism sowing the seeds of its own destruction Impoverishment of working class ultimately result in the economic elites being overthrown Communism will eliminate classes level the playing field everyone will be equal can t have inequality no class conflict as everyone has similar interests When one state overthrows the capitalist class it will spark a global revolution resulting in the global dominance of communist states Marx wasn t a big IR theorist studied domestic theories It was Lenin who developed Marxist theories in IP IV Leninism A Corporate interests determine national interests Chairman for General Motors What s good for GM is good for America Exact Marxist thinking For Marxists economics drive politics state becomes the servant of economic interest Don t focus on structure of international system partisan politics just focus on economic interests and if it dominated by the economic elites then focus on the bourgeoisie B Imperialism Imperialism is the highest state of capitalism What do monopolies need Natural resources When the monopolies are at an all time high economically military stable go to other regions to seek natural resources and when states and elites clash for natural resources they will go to war C Revolution Lenin gave Marxism a foreign policy It wasn t just conflict within states internally but war between states which will ignite a revolution He thought that European states in WWI went to war to seek natural resources and that the citizens will get fed up of the economic elites and will seek to overthrow them V Contemporary IR Marxists vs R and L on 3 key Qs A What s the nature of international politics 1 The nature of the intl system a Realism anarchy Absence of a central authority to control the world states have to care for themselves relative gains self help b Liberalism society There is no world government to order intl politics but there are laws intl organizations help to promote cooperation and constrain behavior c Marxism anarchy Marxist are more like realists tend to accept that the system is anarchic Lenin and Marx will be perfectly fine with the statement the strong do what they can weak do as they must 2 Who are the key actors a Realism states States are both rational and unitary actors The structure of the system that explains state behavior b Liberalism states intl orgs States are rational but not unitary Key actors for liberals are both states and intl organizations What makes them not unitary Domestic politics Every state has different interests If