International Relations Theory Maxime Lermyte 2018-2019
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEORY
JONATHAN HOLSAG
2018-2019
1
,International Relations Theory Maxime Lermyte 2018-2019
Inhoud
Session 1: What is theory of international politics?................................................................................6
1. International theory...........................................................................................................................6
1.1 What is a theory - Walt?...............................................................................................................6
1.2 Why does theory make sense in the practice of international politics - Walt?.............................6
1.2.1 The gap: why theory and policy rarely meet..........................................................................6
2. First, second and third image of Waltz...............................................................................................7
2.1 First image....................................................................................................................................7
2.2 Second image...............................................................................................................................8
2.3 Third image...................................................................................................................................8
3. The role of society, economy and institutions in avoiding conflict.....................................................9
4. Pursuit of wealth as a cause of conflict - Waltz..................................................................................9
5. Fault lines in the liberalist debate about peace – Doyle...................................................................10
5.1 Machiavelli: Liberal imperialism.................................................................................................10
5.2 Schumpeter: Liberal pacifism......................................................................................................10
5.3 Kant: Liberal internationalism.....................................................................................................11
Session 2: What is the role of states and what defines power?...........................................................12
1. Role of states in today’s world according to international relations theories - Hobson...................12
2. Alternatives for traditional state power based on territory, military capabilities and industry........13
2.1 Traditional state power - Nye.....................................................................................................13
2.2 Normative power - Manners......................................................................................................13
2.3 The virtual state - Rosecrane......................................................................................................14
3. Role of non-state actors...................................................................................................................14
Session 3: The Thucydides trap: How states respond to the balance of power....................................15
1. Causes and consequences of change in international relations, according to Gilpin........................15
2. Responding of a state to a rising power...........................................................................................16
2.1 Balancing - Walt..........................................................................................................................16
2.2 Bandwagoning - Walt..................................................................................................................16
2.3 Buck-passing - Mearsheimer.......................................................................................................17
3. Structure of today’s world and its impact on our security................................................................18
4. Schwellers typology and the rise of China........................................................................................18
Session 4: The use of force...................................................................................................................20
1. The effect of interdependence on military force and the relation of Keohane and Nye’s arguments
to those of the realists..........................................................................................................................20
2. Deterrence........................................................................................................................................21
Session 5: The relevance of values and institutions in advancing peace and prosperity......................22
2
,International Relations Theory Maxime Lermyte 2018-2019
1. Most important international organizations.....................................................................................22
1.1 Going French...............................................................................................................................22
1.2 United Nations – 1945 New York................................................................................................22
1.3 International Monetary Fund – 1945 Washington......................................................................23
1.4 World Bank – 1944 Washington.................................................................................................23
1.5 Bank of international settlement – 1930 Basel...........................................................................23
1.6 World Trade Organization – 1995 Geneva..................................................................................23
1.7 International Labour Organization – 1919 Geneva.....................................................................23
1.8 United Nations Environment Program – 1972 Nairobi...............................................................24
2. Multilateralism - Ruggie....................................................................................................................24
3. Regimes and the possible end of the liberal regime - Krasner..........................................................25
4. The influence of institutions and values on the behaviour of states................................................26
4.1 Realists view...............................................................................................................................26
4.2 Institutionalists view...................................................................................................................27
Session 6: The contribution of interdependence on peace..................................................................28
1. Impact of interdependence in the likelihood of war........................................................................28
1.1 Liberalism...................................................................................................................................28
1.2 Realism – Waltz, Mearsheimer...................................................................................................28
1.3 Neo-Marxism..............................................................................................................................28
1.4 Conclusion..................................................................................................................................29
1.5 The great illusion - Shiller...........................................................................................................29
1.6 Economic interdependence – Gartzke & Boehmer.....................................................................29
1.7 Different stands – different people.............................................................................................30
2. Views on interdependence and peace..............................................................................................31
2.1 Conflict........................................................................................................................................31
2.2 Interdependence........................................................................................................................31
2.3 Cooperation................................................................................................................................31
3. The interdependence liberalist theory.............................................................................................32
3.1 Case: Russia as a military threat to Europe.................................................................................32
Session 7: influence of identities, political organizations on international politics...............................33
1. Constructivism in international relations - Wendt............................................................................33
2. Role of democracy in states – Mousseau + Mansfield & Snyder......................................................34
2.1 Mousseau: Economic norms theory...........................................................................................34
2.2 Mansfield & Snyder....................................................................................................................34
2.3 Conclusion of Mousseau and Mansfield & Snyder......................................................................35
3. Reaching the end of history?............................................................................................................35
3
,International Relations Theory Maxime Lermyte 2018-2019
Session 8: Overview..............................................................................................................................36
1. Idealism............................................................................................................................................36
2. Realism.............................................................................................................................................36
2.1 Classical realism..........................................................................................................................36
2.2 Neorealism..................................................................................................................................37
2.3 Neoclassical realism....................................................................................................................37
3. Liberalism.........................................................................................................................................37
3.1 Liberal pacifism...........................................................................................................................37
3.2 Liberal internationalism..............................................................................................................37
3.3 Interdependence liberalism........................................................................................................37
3.4 Functional liberalism...................................................................................................................38
3.5 Institutional liberalism................................................................................................................38
3.6 Democratic liberalism.................................................................................................................38
3.7 Regional integration liberalism...................................................................................................38
4. Constructivism..................................................................................................................................39
4.1 Social constructivism..................................................................................................................39
4.2 Radical constructivism................................................................................................................39
5. Marxism............................................................................................................................................39
5.1 Marxist imperialism....................................................................................................................39
6. World system theory........................................................................................................................40
7. Dependency theory..........................................................................................................................40
7.1 Gramscians.................................................................................................................................40
4
,International Relations Theory Maxime Lermyte 2018-2019
5
,International Relations Theory Maxime Lermyte 2018-2019
Session 1: What is theory of international
politics?
1. International theory.
1.1 What is a theory - Walt?
A theory is a system of ideas, intended to explain something, especially one based on
general principles independent of the thing to be explained.
A theory should be explanatory, falsifiable and parsimonious (= zuinig).
A good theory should be logically consistent and empirically valid. It should be complete and
prove a causal relationship. It should explain an important phenomena clearly, that would
otherwise have stayed a mystery.
1.2 Why does theory make sense in the practice of
international politics - Walt?
Theory can aid a policy on 4 aspects:
First of all it helps to make a diagnosis. It makes clear what the phenomenon is that should
be handled and thus provides policy makers with a broader set of diagnostic possibilities. A
diagnosis also gives a better understanding of the past, which can influence policy makers
today.
Second, it helps to predict and anticipate on events and evolutions of regions and states.
Thirdly, theory makes it for policy makers understandable what they must do to achieve a
certain result. It gives a prescription on how to reach what they want in a way that they can
evaluate both desirability and success. Also it helps to identify the conditions needed for an
instrument to be successful and shows why or how policies might fail.
Lastly, theory helps to make an evaluation of the policy, both before and after
implementation.
It seems that theory is an essential tool in international politics, however, there is some
dissatisfaction with the contribution of international relation theorists. Policy makers seem
to pay little attention to academic writings on international affairs.
1.2.1 The gap: why theory and policy rarely meet.
Theory is often too abstract: it does not address the day to day tactical needs of
policymakers and thus it is not highly relevant. Also there is not enough time for all the
theories to be given attention to.
Theorists and policy makers have different agendas too. Social scientists want to identify and
explain social behaviour, whereas policy makers tend to be concerned with the problems of
today. They don’t want to explain a general tendency but they want to overcome it. Even
highly relevant theory may not help policy makers, because it cannot be implemented.
6
, International Relations Theory Maxime Lermyte 2018-2019
Another problem is the professionalization of the discipline: the academic field of
international relations is a self-regulating enterprise. Success depends almost entirely on
one’s reputation among the colleagues. Policy relevance is not a criterion that the academics
value.
We should alter the norms of the academic international relations discipline. Real world
relevance should be given greater weight, this way theory would be directed at real world
problems. Also academic journals and prize committees should focus more on real world
relevance.
2. First, second and third image of Waltz.
Core question for Waltz is what the cause of war is and if it is avoidable or not. There are 3
ways of explaining war, on 3 different levels.
Man is geared towards conflict, competition, selfishness and thus war. There
is war because man creates it = first image;
Individual states make war because of their internal construction, ideology
and political system. For example liberal democracies are less prone to war =
second image;
The state system creates war. A bipolar system for instance is more stable
than a multipolar system = third system.
2.1 First image.
The problem is human nature, man must be redeemed. Man is selfish, holds a lot of
aggression within him and there always is the desire for self-preservation. Like Morgenthau
states it, there is always the lust for power. According to Niebuhr the origins of war lay in the
dark unconscious sources of the human psyche.
Optimists say that man can be redeemed, when this happens war will not exist. Pessimists
say that man can only be constrained. The balance of power may be used to limit the
possibility of war. A political solution is needed.
There are some critics on this theory however. Of course rational men would come to a
solution but this is just an ideal. Secondly, it is easy to show how bad men is, when only war
is described. We ca also show how good men is. Whether men is good or bad, depends on
the mood of the writer. This image also doesn’t explain why there sometimes is war and
sometimes peace.
Also the way man uses power is essential. It can be used to maximize power. If so then this
would mean you only want more and more. Power can also be used to maximize security:
being as strong as your neighbour is enough.
7
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEORY
JONATHAN HOLSAG
2018-2019
1
,International Relations Theory Maxime Lermyte 2018-2019
Inhoud
Session 1: What is theory of international politics?................................................................................6
1. International theory...........................................................................................................................6
1.1 What is a theory - Walt?...............................................................................................................6
1.2 Why does theory make sense in the practice of international politics - Walt?.............................6
1.2.1 The gap: why theory and policy rarely meet..........................................................................6
2. First, second and third image of Waltz...............................................................................................7
2.1 First image....................................................................................................................................7
2.2 Second image...............................................................................................................................8
2.3 Third image...................................................................................................................................8
3. The role of society, economy and institutions in avoiding conflict.....................................................9
4. Pursuit of wealth as a cause of conflict - Waltz..................................................................................9
5. Fault lines in the liberalist debate about peace – Doyle...................................................................10
5.1 Machiavelli: Liberal imperialism.................................................................................................10
5.2 Schumpeter: Liberal pacifism......................................................................................................10
5.3 Kant: Liberal internationalism.....................................................................................................11
Session 2: What is the role of states and what defines power?...........................................................12
1. Role of states in today’s world according to international relations theories - Hobson...................12
2. Alternatives for traditional state power based on territory, military capabilities and industry........13
2.1 Traditional state power - Nye.....................................................................................................13
2.2 Normative power - Manners......................................................................................................13
2.3 The virtual state - Rosecrane......................................................................................................14
3. Role of non-state actors...................................................................................................................14
Session 3: The Thucydides trap: How states respond to the balance of power....................................15
1. Causes and consequences of change in international relations, according to Gilpin........................15
2. Responding of a state to a rising power...........................................................................................16
2.1 Balancing - Walt..........................................................................................................................16
2.2 Bandwagoning - Walt..................................................................................................................16
2.3 Buck-passing - Mearsheimer.......................................................................................................17
3. Structure of today’s world and its impact on our security................................................................18
4. Schwellers typology and the rise of China........................................................................................18
Session 4: The use of force...................................................................................................................20
1. The effect of interdependence on military force and the relation of Keohane and Nye’s arguments
to those of the realists..........................................................................................................................20
2. Deterrence........................................................................................................................................21
Session 5: The relevance of values and institutions in advancing peace and prosperity......................22
2
,International Relations Theory Maxime Lermyte 2018-2019
1. Most important international organizations.....................................................................................22
1.1 Going French...............................................................................................................................22
1.2 United Nations – 1945 New York................................................................................................22
1.3 International Monetary Fund – 1945 Washington......................................................................23
1.4 World Bank – 1944 Washington.................................................................................................23
1.5 Bank of international settlement – 1930 Basel...........................................................................23
1.6 World Trade Organization – 1995 Geneva..................................................................................23
1.7 International Labour Organization – 1919 Geneva.....................................................................23
1.8 United Nations Environment Program – 1972 Nairobi...............................................................24
2. Multilateralism - Ruggie....................................................................................................................24
3. Regimes and the possible end of the liberal regime - Krasner..........................................................25
4. The influence of institutions and values on the behaviour of states................................................26
4.1 Realists view...............................................................................................................................26
4.2 Institutionalists view...................................................................................................................27
Session 6: The contribution of interdependence on peace..................................................................28
1. Impact of interdependence in the likelihood of war........................................................................28
1.1 Liberalism...................................................................................................................................28
1.2 Realism – Waltz, Mearsheimer...................................................................................................28
1.3 Neo-Marxism..............................................................................................................................28
1.4 Conclusion..................................................................................................................................29
1.5 The great illusion - Shiller...........................................................................................................29
1.6 Economic interdependence – Gartzke & Boehmer.....................................................................29
1.7 Different stands – different people.............................................................................................30
2. Views on interdependence and peace..............................................................................................31
2.1 Conflict........................................................................................................................................31
2.2 Interdependence........................................................................................................................31
2.3 Cooperation................................................................................................................................31
3. The interdependence liberalist theory.............................................................................................32
3.1 Case: Russia as a military threat to Europe.................................................................................32
Session 7: influence of identities, political organizations on international politics...............................33
1. Constructivism in international relations - Wendt............................................................................33
2. Role of democracy in states – Mousseau + Mansfield & Snyder......................................................34
2.1 Mousseau: Economic norms theory...........................................................................................34
2.2 Mansfield & Snyder....................................................................................................................34
2.3 Conclusion of Mousseau and Mansfield & Snyder......................................................................35
3. Reaching the end of history?............................................................................................................35
3
,International Relations Theory Maxime Lermyte 2018-2019
Session 8: Overview..............................................................................................................................36
1. Idealism............................................................................................................................................36
2. Realism.............................................................................................................................................36
2.1 Classical realism..........................................................................................................................36
2.2 Neorealism..................................................................................................................................37
2.3 Neoclassical realism....................................................................................................................37
3. Liberalism.........................................................................................................................................37
3.1 Liberal pacifism...........................................................................................................................37
3.2 Liberal internationalism..............................................................................................................37
3.3 Interdependence liberalism........................................................................................................37
3.4 Functional liberalism...................................................................................................................38
3.5 Institutional liberalism................................................................................................................38
3.6 Democratic liberalism.................................................................................................................38
3.7 Regional integration liberalism...................................................................................................38
4. Constructivism..................................................................................................................................39
4.1 Social constructivism..................................................................................................................39
4.2 Radical constructivism................................................................................................................39
5. Marxism............................................................................................................................................39
5.1 Marxist imperialism....................................................................................................................39
6. World system theory........................................................................................................................40
7. Dependency theory..........................................................................................................................40
7.1 Gramscians.................................................................................................................................40
4
,International Relations Theory Maxime Lermyte 2018-2019
5
,International Relations Theory Maxime Lermyte 2018-2019
Session 1: What is theory of international
politics?
1. International theory.
1.1 What is a theory - Walt?
A theory is a system of ideas, intended to explain something, especially one based on
general principles independent of the thing to be explained.
A theory should be explanatory, falsifiable and parsimonious (= zuinig).
A good theory should be logically consistent and empirically valid. It should be complete and
prove a causal relationship. It should explain an important phenomena clearly, that would
otherwise have stayed a mystery.
1.2 Why does theory make sense in the practice of
international politics - Walt?
Theory can aid a policy on 4 aspects:
First of all it helps to make a diagnosis. It makes clear what the phenomenon is that should
be handled and thus provides policy makers with a broader set of diagnostic possibilities. A
diagnosis also gives a better understanding of the past, which can influence policy makers
today.
Second, it helps to predict and anticipate on events and evolutions of regions and states.
Thirdly, theory makes it for policy makers understandable what they must do to achieve a
certain result. It gives a prescription on how to reach what they want in a way that they can
evaluate both desirability and success. Also it helps to identify the conditions needed for an
instrument to be successful and shows why or how policies might fail.
Lastly, theory helps to make an evaluation of the policy, both before and after
implementation.
It seems that theory is an essential tool in international politics, however, there is some
dissatisfaction with the contribution of international relation theorists. Policy makers seem
to pay little attention to academic writings on international affairs.
1.2.1 The gap: why theory and policy rarely meet.
Theory is often too abstract: it does not address the day to day tactical needs of
policymakers and thus it is not highly relevant. Also there is not enough time for all the
theories to be given attention to.
Theorists and policy makers have different agendas too. Social scientists want to identify and
explain social behaviour, whereas policy makers tend to be concerned with the problems of
today. They don’t want to explain a general tendency but they want to overcome it. Even
highly relevant theory may not help policy makers, because it cannot be implemented.
6
, International Relations Theory Maxime Lermyte 2018-2019
Another problem is the professionalization of the discipline: the academic field of
international relations is a self-regulating enterprise. Success depends almost entirely on
one’s reputation among the colleagues. Policy relevance is not a criterion that the academics
value.
We should alter the norms of the academic international relations discipline. Real world
relevance should be given greater weight, this way theory would be directed at real world
problems. Also academic journals and prize committees should focus more on real world
relevance.
2. First, second and third image of Waltz.
Core question for Waltz is what the cause of war is and if it is avoidable or not. There are 3
ways of explaining war, on 3 different levels.
Man is geared towards conflict, competition, selfishness and thus war. There
is war because man creates it = first image;
Individual states make war because of their internal construction, ideology
and political system. For example liberal democracies are less prone to war =
second image;
The state system creates war. A bipolar system for instance is more stable
than a multipolar system = third system.
2.1 First image.
The problem is human nature, man must be redeemed. Man is selfish, holds a lot of
aggression within him and there always is the desire for self-preservation. Like Morgenthau
states it, there is always the lust for power. According to Niebuhr the origins of war lay in the
dark unconscious sources of the human psyche.
Optimists say that man can be redeemed, when this happens war will not exist. Pessimists
say that man can only be constrained. The balance of power may be used to limit the
possibility of war. A political solution is needed.
There are some critics on this theory however. Of course rational men would come to a
solution but this is just an ideal. Secondly, it is easy to show how bad men is, when only war
is described. We ca also show how good men is. Whether men is good or bad, depends on
the mood of the writer. This image also doesn’t explain why there sometimes is war and
sometimes peace.
Also the way man uses power is essential. It can be used to maximize power. If so then this
would mean you only want more and more. Power can also be used to maximize security:
being as strong as your neighbour is enough.
7
