Power Politics: Understanding State Behavior and the International System, Study notes of Political Science

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Power Politics Issue Realism Idealism Human Nature Selfish Altruistic Most Important Actors States States and others Causes of State Behavior Rational Pursuit of self interest Psychological Motives of decision makers Nature of International System Anarchy Community

What is power?  1st definition: When one (A) is able to get someone (B) to do something that they would otherwise not do o You must know what their (B) intentions were though to say power has been displayed o Counter factual: All we have is what actually exists  2nd definition: (A) can limit the options to (B) and in turn change their outcome/situation o creation of the WTO  3rd definition: (A) is not forcing (B) to do something they wouldn’t do but (A) is just changing (B) mind. You can convince them to do what they want and police themselves
What gives states power?  Material capabilities o GDP o Military strength o Geopolitical position o Drawbacks of material capabilities  “Soft Power” o not material assets that states use to influence other states o not size of economy or size of nation or military o try to persuade you using diplomacy, still getting you to do something you wouldn’t have done but I’ o o m not doing it with the power of my gun o drawing on international norms o Ideas, norms, diplomacy  Ideas and Legitimacy  Diplomacy  Influence
Waltz “Structural” or Neorealism  States as “Billiard balls”  Power the only differentiating factor between like-units in the international system o Domestic structure  Hierarchical structure  Function each unit fulfills  Each unit’s capacity  Criticism: overly parsimonious, does not have a lot of explanatory power Dominance not the only dynamic o Additional power resources  Offensive- countries band together to attack someone else by choice o Alliance “cohesion”  How likely is it that states will abide by the terms o NATO  What is its purpose following the end of the cold war?  Initially created to keep the Russians out, Americans in, and Germans down  NATO has morphed into a different institution, provides for coordination of the militaries of different countries  Article V  “if any member of NATO is attacked the other members must come to its defense”  mutual defense clause  Regional alliances o Non-aligned movement  Unilateralism vs. Multilateralism o Multi meaning multiple states working together to get to one goal (Gulf War) o Uni meaning there was no coalition o Even if you can act unilaterally, it bolsters your power if you act multilaterally  Statecraft- process of getting other states to act the way you want them to o Deterrence  Issuing a type of threat or benefit o Compellence  Act on the threat that you issued when you tried to deter them  If you don’t do if, you’ll look weak  Use your material resources because you didn’t succeed at threatening them o Escalation  The other will retaliate and in turn make the situation worse o Arms Race  Each want the biggest weapon they can get so that the other can give up

Rethinking the National Interest 09/11/2012
What is the relationship between realism and idealism in Rice’s argument?  The US is idealist because we want to promote democracy. We have the material resources to do it. We can compel others to do it because we have the resources  Democracy helps to facilitate long term relationships.  If someone has the same beliefs its more likely to be sympathetic and have common goals.
How is current policy different than previous policy?  The US supported autocratic systems before  When they would go to religious services, they became the forum to talk about politics because there was no political process to discuss them in. It was the dictators way  Were better off supporting democracy and not suppression because we can allow people to speak openly and we aren’t viewed as supporting an autocratic dictator o Long term growth o Long term relationships o Not Allowing individuals to be attacked by radical groups  We get benefits and so do they What is the “new” American interest, and what makes it new?  Nation building  Democracy promotion  Goal is peace in the middle east and stopping anti-Americanism

Are we largely a realist or idealist country?  Obama administration is a largely idealist administration