Critique of realism

1
Critique of realism

• Are states the only actors

• No international relations is a cobweb of
  interactions and linkages between multiple actors
  firms, individuals, groups

2
Review - Realism

• States are the actors
• The competitive pursuit of the national
  interest is the how states achieve their goals
• States exist in an anarchical system there can
  only be limited order and this will be on the
  basis of the balance of power

3
Alternative theories to realism

• Liberalism
• the tradition of optimism - from liberal
  internationalism to idealism to liberal
  institutionalism
• The liberty of the individual is at the centre of
  this philosophy
• How to reconcile order and justice within the
  international system remains a key problem

4
Liberalism

• Who are the actors?
• The state-centric view is rejected this thesis
  is put forward by Keohane and Nye ( 1972) when
  they argue that other actors interest groups,
  transnational corporations, international
  non-governmental organisations must be taken
  into account

5
Liberal institutionalism

• Who are the actors?
• The state-centric view is rejected this thesis
  is put forward by Keohane and Nye ( 1972) when
  they argue that other actors interest groups,
  transnatinoal corporations, international
  non-governmental organisations must be taken
  into account Burtons image of the cobweb
  model, with diverse actors linked through
  multiple channels of interaction reflects the
  complexity of the world today
• Little 1996 we are all now caught up in a
  complex systemic web of ineractions such that
  changes in one part of the system have direct and
  indirect consequences for the rest of the system

6
Actors

• There is an increase in the importance of
  international organisations, can be the catalysts
  for forming coalitions to express views
• Transgovernmental policy networks create problems
  for centralised control by governments and this
  of course challenges realist assumptions, which
  self, which interest

7
Liberalism complex interdependence

• The characteristics of the global political
  process
• An absence of hierarchy amongst issues

8
Liberalism complex interdependence

• The characteristics of the global political
  process
• An absence of hierarchy amongst issues this
  means there are multiple issues , not organised
  hierarchically military security is not going to
  dominate the agenda e.g. economic security,
  ecological security

9
Liberalism - interdependence

• The characteristics of the global political
  process
• A bluring of the distinction between foreign and
  domestic policy

10
Liberalism - interdependence

• The characteristics of the global political
  process
• A bluring of the distinction between foreign and
  domestic policy several departments of
  government are involved in international affairs
  for different issues there are different
  coalitions, both within governments and outside
  of them. This creates a problem in producing a
  consistent and coherent foreign policy
• E.g. WTO

11
Liberalism - interdependence

• The characteristics of the global political
  process
• Issues may not threaten national security and
  so there is a minor role for military force

12
Liberalism - interdependence

• The characteristics of the global political
  process
• Issues may not threaten national security and
  so there is a minor role for military force -
  military force is irrelevant for economic issues
  because of the intensity of relationships between
  individual states there is also the fact that
  conventional force has its limitations, e.g.
  Vietnam and thus can have a negative affect on
  achieving goals
• This means that linkage strategies by large
  states is much more difficult because military
  force cannot always apply to non-military issues

13
Liberalism - interdependence

• Outcomes the nature of the world system
• This varies but there is seen to be a reduction
  in the international hierarchy of powers

14
Liberalism - interdependence

• Outcomes the nature of the world system
• This varies but there is seen to be a reduction
  in the international hierarchy of powers a more
  diffuse international system
• No hierarchy, domestic groups can impact the
  foreign policy agenda ( European Courts,
  International Courts, Green Movement
• Shifts also in the distribution of power sources
  OPEC etc

15
International Relations theories