2. QUIZ 1
Note: Attempt any two from the following.
Q1: Briefly explain the difference between Realism and Liberalism, also highlight the four
main characteristics of a state?
Q2: Define the following terms.
a. Anarchy
b. Nation State
c. Power
d. Sovereignty
Q3: What is the League of Nation and why was it formed?
3. What is Realism?
► No single theory reliably explains the
wide range of international
interactions, but one theoretical
framework that has historically held a
central position in the study of IR is
Realism.
► “A broad intellectual tradition that
explains international relations mainly
in terms of power”.
4. Core Premises of REALISM
1. Human selfishness (‘egoism’) .
2. State-centrism – sole primary actors or units.
3. Humans/States are rational actors.
4. The absence of international government
(‘anarchy’).
The conjunction of anarchy and egoism and the
resulting imperatives of power politics provide the
core of realism.
5.
6. Realism
Realism is actually a fairly large tent.
However, Realists of all stripes agree:
States are the most important actors in
the international system – Statism.
Anarchy has a powerful effect on
state behavior – Self Help.
And that at the end of the day all
politics is power politics.
7. CLASSICAL REALISTS
►They paid attention to ideas as well as material power.
►Classical realists had more of a humanistic approach to
world politics than a scientific one.
► In History of Western Political Thought; following historians and
philosophers are considered prominent classical Realist:
1. Thucydides- National interests are most important.
2. Niccolò Machiavelli .
3. Thomas Hobbes.
8. Anarchy VS Hierarchy
► In a Hierarchical System, different kinds of units
performing different functions are organized under a
clear line of authority.
► In an Anarchical System, units that are functionally
similar, even though they differ dramatically in
capabilities, conduct relations with one another.
9. Anarchy VS Hierarchy
► If there is hierarchy of power and population, there is order.
► However, in International system, there is no overarching
government above a population of legally equal sovereign
states.
► Therefore, the triangle of order reverses. The hierarchy that we
find in the Domestic/ National level politics, gets reversed at
the International level, and turns into anarchy due to lack of
governance.
10. Structural
Realism
► Structural Realists argue that human
nature and attitudes, is not the only
determining factor behind the conduct
of a states’ relations with other states.
► They differentiate from Classical Realists
on this assumption.
11. Types of Structural Realism
TWO STRANDS OF STRUCTURAL REALISM:
•Defensive Realism by Kenneth Waltz- Acquiring
power and security that is enough for survival.
•Offensive Realism by John Mearsheimer- to
maximize their relative power position under
anarchy, to seek global hegemony to dominate
other states, which leads to Great power
competition.
13. What is Liberalism?
►An approach that emphasizes
that international law, morality,
and international organizations,
rather than power alone, are
key influences on international
relations.
14. What is Liberalism?
► Liberalists want to avoid pain and
war and are willing to cooperate for
peace. Therefore, their main interest
is not to gain power.
► The core concern of liberalism is the
happiness and contentment of
individual human beings and their
belief in progress.
15. Core Assumptions of Liberalism:
1. They believe individuals/ humans are rational actors who
are capable of learning through experiences.
2. Rational individuals agree to willingly cooperate, to
achieve peace, prosperity, pleasure and liberty, by
getting into a social contract to form a state (Community).
3. Such a Liberal state is Democratic in nature and has a
law-based society i.e., the state has a constitution and
provides the individuals with rights, specifically, the right to
choose.
16.
17. Liberalism
Rational individuals would never want to resort to
war since it disrupts peace, business/ trade, and
progress, bringing destruction and inflicting huge
pain.
When people use their reasoning to avoid
conflict, they can achieve mutually beneficial
cooperation not only within states but also across
international boundaries.
18. Classic Liberalism
►Liberalism is connected with the emergence of
a modern Liberal Constitutional state.
►It seeks to project values of liberty, justice, and
tolerance into international relations.
19. Classical Liberals
In History of Western Political Thought; following historians
and philosophers are considered prominent classical
liberals:
1. John Locke.
2. Immanuel Kant.
3. Jeremy Bentham.
All the liberal philosophers are looking at the ways of
how to achieve peace and cooperation.
20. Revival of Liberalism
However, as transnational economic
interdependence increased, the late 1960s and
1970s saw a revival of interest in liberal theories.
The two world wars and the failure of collective
security in the interwar period had discredited
liberal theories.
21. Neo- Liberalism
► An approach that stresses the importance of
international institutions in reducing the inherent conflict
that realists assume in an international system;
► the reasoning is based on the core liberal idea that
seeking long-term mutual gains is often more rational
than maximizing individual short-term gains.
► Neoliberals argue that reciprocity can be an effective
strategy for achieving cooperation in a situation of
conflicting interests.
22. Neo- Liberalism
► The neoliberal approach differs from earlier liberal
approaches in that it concedes to realism several
important assumptions
► States are unitary actors rationally pursuing their
self-interests in a system of anarchy
► States achieve cooperation fairly often because
it is in their interest to do so.
23. The End of History – Francis
Fukuyama
► There was another surge of liberal optimism after the end of the
Cold War IN 1989, propelled by the notion of ‘the end of
history’.
► Francis Fukuyama predicted that this is the end point of
mankind’s ideological evolution and the universalization of
Western liberal democracy as the final form of human
government.
► When Francis Fukuyama proclaimed, ‘the end of history’, he
was endorsing the progress of liberal ideas in the world
