Politics, Security & International Relations

O’Connor, Chapter 19

Theories of IR

• Realism– International realm is

anarchic– Machiavelli

• Neorealism– States do not seek to

maximize power, but merely balance it; most powerful states set the action.

– Waltz

• Balance of Power– Theory that states

ally themselves with other states to balance the power of threatening states.

• How do you measure power?

– Soft– Hard

Theories of IR

• Deterrence Theory• Clash of Civilizations

– Huntington

• Golden Arches Theory– Friedman

• Dependency

Theories of IR

• Hegemonic Stability Theory– International stability

requires a single dominant state to enforce the rules (uni-polar).

• Bipolar– World is divided into

two power centers, like during the Cold War

• Multi-polar– World is divided into

many power centers

Theories of IR - Idealism

– Placing an emphasis on international law, organization, and the influence of morality and public opinion in the affairs of nations. • Characterized IR theory following WWI.

The American Experience

• Monroe Doctrine• 1823

– U.S. will intervene if a European power made unwarranted aggression anywhere in the Western Hemisphere.

• Pre-Spanish American War– America was mostly

Isolationist:

Spanish-American War

• Cuban Revolution and disagreements w/Spain over Cuba.

• USS Maine served as a catalyst… – America gained possession of:

• Cuba, Puerto Rico and Philippines

• President McKinley– “Isolation is no longer possible or desirable.”

Theodore Roosevelt

– Colombia & the Panama Canal– Mediated peace between Japan & Russia– Great “White Fleet”

• Roosevelt Corollary– 1905 U.S. warning to Europe not to use local

countries’ debts to breach the Monroe Doctrine.

World War I

• America joined in 1917 three years after the war began. Why, so long?– America was pro-Ally,

but non-interventionist.

• Collective Security– Agreement by all

countries to automatically punish aggressor states.

– League of Nations, UN– Based in Idealism

Interwar Years

• Smoot-Hawley Tariff• Neutrality Acts

• U.S. gradually steps away from neutrality– Lend-Lease– Undeclared German

naval war– Freezing of Japanese

assets

Post-WWII

• Marshall Plan• Truman Doctrine• Containment• Eisenhower Doctrine

• Cold War• NATO

– Collective Defense• “…an attack on one is

an attack on all.”

Diplomacy

• Diplomacy– Official, political

contact among governments

• Détente

• United Nations– Sovereignty– Supranational

• State Department– Embassy– Treaty– Executive Agreement

Current Issues

• NATO Expansion• Spheres of Influence• World’s Policeman• Neutral Arbiter• UN Peacekeeping

• SALT I• Preemption• Imperial Overstretch

– Theory that powerful nations tends to over-expand and then decline.

• http://www.cdi.org/friendlyversion/printversion.cfm?documentID=1040

• http://www.cdi.org/friendlyversion/printversion.cfm?documentID=1041

Foreign Policy Today

• Internationalism• Neo-Isolationism• Neo-Conservatism

• Issues and Priorities– Foreign Aid to 3rd world– Drug trade– Energy and OPEC– Free Trade/Protectionism– Democracy– Should public opinion be

consulted in pursuing foreign policy?

• http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?PageID=795