国際政治基礎A Spring 2015 CLASS 2 LECTURE 2

Fundamental Concepts
of International Politics
Spring 2014
Prof. H. Steven Green
Toyo University
Faculty of Law
Class 2, Lecture 2
April 20th, 2015
What is IP、?
How do we study it?

Quiz: Part A
Middle East / Western Asia
Turkey
Saudi
Arabia
1 2
3
Pakistan
Arabian Sea

Quiz: Part A ・ Europe
5
4
6 7France
Finland
Black Sea

Quiz: Part A
South, East & Southeast Asia
8
11
10
9

Quiz: Part A, No. 12
Most dangerous region for world peace?
MIDDLE EAST?

UKRAINE / CRIMEA / RUSSIA ?

EAST ASIA?

OTHER REGION?

ANSWER
By the end of the class in January, 2016,
you will have to decide for yourself!

TERMS ARE IMPORTANT
Words are our friends!

1. What is international politics (IP)?
International politics is the politics of the
international system.
The international system consists of almost 200
different governments, and what happens
between and among them, including trade,
help, cooperation and, of course, war.
This system has no government.

1. What is international politics (IP)?
IP is “politics in the absence of a common
sovereign- politics among entities with no
ruler above them” (Joseph Nye.)
「国際政治とは、共通の主義者の存在しない状
況において、自らより上位の支配者を持たな
い政治体の間で行われる政治である」

In a nutshell （簡単に言うと）：
There is no world government.
No sovereign ruler exists above countries.

There are almost 200 countries, so…
there are almost 200 governments.

The United Nations (UN) is NOT a
world government.
• The UN cannot make laws.
• It provides a place where governments can
talk and debate.

Westphalian System
The current international system is also called
the Westphalian System

“Westphalian System”
Two peace treaties that ended the 30 Years’ War
in 1648 are called the Peace of Westphalia
According to the Peace of Westphalia:
• Rulers of states control their own territory
(領土) and are responsible for it.
• All rulers must accept other states’
sovereignty (主権).

Europe, 1648: Birth of modern state

The International System
• A system of states who have sovereignty
• A system without a government
• We call the international system “anarchic”
• We also call it the “Westphalian system”
To understand IP, we need to understand
the difference between domestic politics and
international politics.

Domestic- vs. International Politics
Domestic Politics International Politics
LAW
FORCE
COMMUNITY

LAW •Clear, consistent（一貫した）,
obeyed（法則に従われる）
•______________________
•_________________________
•No global police force, courts
FORCE •_____________________
•Citizens cannot use force
•No global monopoly
•______________________
COMMUNITY
•Sense of community creates
common loyalty（忠義）,
standards of justice (正義)
and view of
legitimate authority (合法の
権力)
•Weak loyalty to “world”
•Different views of __________
•Different views of what is
______________

LAW •Clear, consistent（一貫した）,
obeyed（法則に従われる）
•Enforced by police & courts
•Inconsistent, incomplete
•No global police force, courts
FORCE •Government has monopoly
•Citizens cannot use force
•No global monopoly
•States use force when they want
COMMUNITY
•Sense of community creates
common loyalty（忠義）,
standards of justice (正義)
and view of
legitimate authority (合法の
権力)
•Weak loyalty to “world”
•Different views of justice
•Different views of what is
legitimate

2. How do we study IP?
We use three levels of analysis
1. Individual (i.e. people, leaders)
Personality, perceptions, activities, choices
2. State (i.e. countries, governments)
Government, economy, groups, national interest
3. System (i.e. the international system of no-
government)
 Alliances (同盟),
 systemic norms (規範)
 IOs, MNCs、NGOs

At the 3 levels of analysis
WE USE THEORIES(理論)

What is a theory?
An intellectual tool to help us understand a complex
world.
• Explains how the world works, what dangers and
what opportunities exist
• May explain international action and make
predictions.
• Different IR theories try to influence countries’
leaders.

Three IR theories
• Realism
• Liberalism
• Constructivism

IR Theories: REALISM
Realist view of anarchy = Hobbesian anarchy
There is ALWAYS a possibility of war so states must
prepare for it.
Thomas Hobbes, English (1588-1679)

1. IP is a system of Hobbesian anarchy.
• Everyone “locks their door”: Every state has a
military because there is no world police.
• Even states with good relations (e.g. UK, US,
Japan, France, Netherland, etc.) do not
completely trust each other: They do not
share all their secrets with each other and…
• States spy on each other. (USA spied on
Germany recently.)

2. States are the most important actors in IP.
• Largest and most comprehensive form of
human organization.
• Have military power.

3. All international politics is power politics =
States will always and only do what is best
for their own power and security.
4. Power is zero-sum and relative.
• If state X has more power, all other states
have less.
• Russia’s gain = USA’s loss (and vice versa)

1. IP is a system of Hobbesian anarchy.
2. States are the most important actors in IP.
3. All international politics is power politics.
4. Power is zero-sum and relative. (If state X has
more power, all other states have less.)
Power politics = States will always and only do
what is best for their own power and security.

IR Theories: LIBERALISM
1. IP is a system of anarchy (so liberals agree with
realists about the nature of the system)
But liberals believe that:
• Although anarchy is a problem, it one that can be solved.
• Anarchy is not Hobbesian: People are motivated not just
by fear but also by a desire to live well

IR Theories: LIBERALISM
2 . States are important, but not the only actors that
matter:
• There is an international society where states make
agreements, etc.
• This society includes international organizations (IOs)
as well as other actors (NGOs, MNCs).
• Different actors want different things (besides
security).
• Cooperation, such as free trade, can prevent war.
MNC = Multi-National Corporation (Toyota, Sony,
Uniqlo, Apple, Coca Cola, Shell, etc.)

IR Theories: CONSTRUCTIVISM
“Anarchy is what states make of it.”
Anarchyは国家が思い込んでいるもの。
-Alexander Wendt
Anarchy depends on the dominant norms,
perceptions and beliefs of the international
system.＊
＊気配的な規範や認識や信念

IR Theories: CONSTRUCTIVISM
Constructivists focus on how our interests and
views about IP are CONSTRUCTED.
What constructs our views?
1. Social structures (社会的な構造), e.g. economic-,
legal-, political systems, etc. of a country.
2. Ideas
3. Norms (規範）
4. Culture
.

History of an Idea
• Realism was the first IR theory.
• It began in ancient Greece, about 2500 years
ago.
• Next we will look at events in ancient Greece
that created the idea of realism.
We CANNOT understand or explain IP without
understanding IR theories.

Review
1. There is no world government.
2. Domestic politics and international politics
are different: They are different systems with
different kinds of logic and different ethics
(倫理).
3. How we see events in IP depends on how we
see the fact of anarchy, i.e. on whether we
are a realist, liberal or constructivist.

How to succeed in this class
1. Come to every class.
2. Bring a dictionary to class.
3. Read the textbook: It will be difficult in the
beginning but will become easier over time. You
already have the English skills to do it!
4. Do all the homework.
5. Participate in class: Talk to, and help, each other.
6. Watch the TV news or read a newspaper every
day (online or “dead tree”.)

国際政治基礎A Spring 2015 CLASS 2 LECTURE 2

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