International Relations Theory Nemzetközi Politika Elmélet - 2008. szeptember 16. A mai modern államrendszer kialakulása György László egyetemi tanársegéd BME GTK, Pénzügyek Tanszék, Gazdaságpolitika és Gazdaságtörténet Szakcsoport
1. Why study IR? 2. What is IR all about? 3. Brief historical sketch of the state system. 4. Characteristics of statehood 5. Do states survive?
1. Why study IR? 2. What is IR all about? 3. Brief historical sketch of the state system 4. Characteristics of statehood 5. Do states survive?
1. Why study IR? 2. What is IR all about? 3. Brief historical sketch of the state system 4. Characteristics of statehood 5. Do states survive?
What is a THEORY? Karl Popper: what shall we expect from a theory? 1.Describe the empirical world 2.Explain 3.Prognose 4.Advise decision maker to political action +1. Only that can be true that is confutable. (Karl Popper) What if it is not confutable? Then it is not a theory it is an ideology.
Why Not Only One Theory? Because of politics... because of the human factor... 1 Policy: content Politics: process Polity: rules of political action 2 Politics as the art of power 3 Politics is about ensuring and prioritizing social values that we (citizens) think important Security Freedom Order Justice Welfare
Definition Sovereignity/sovereign state: As applied to a state, sovereignty includes both ultimate internal authority and external recognition. Internally, a state is sovereign when it exercises supreme authority over the affairs and people within its territory; Externally, a state is sovereign when it is recognized as such by the international community, i.e., its territorial integrity and internal sovereignty are respected and upheld. Presently, the greatest threat to sovereignty is the rise in prominence of IGOs, NGOs and the global economy (and globalization in general), all of which increase state interdependence and accountability.
What is IR All About? International Organizations UN, WTO, IMF, World Bank, EU, NATO, ASEAN, NGOs etc. e State A State B e Society A Society B Citizens NGOs Companies etc.
What is IR All About? Government MNC, TNC Society International organization, NGO
How Would You Prioritize These Values? FOCUS Security Freedom Order and justice Welfare, socioeconomic justice
IR Values and Theories FOCUS Security ( security dilemma, national security) power politics, conflict and war Freedom cooperation, peace and progress Order and justice shared interests, rules and institutions Welfare wealth, poverty and equality, management of domestic and international economy THEORIES Realism Liberalism International Society IPE theories (structuralism)
Definition Security dilemma: An important paradox inherent in the state system. A fundamental reason for the existence of states is to provide their citizens with security from internal and external threats; however, the existence of these armed states threatens the very security they are expected to maintain.
Definition National security: The policies employed and the actions undertaken by a state to counter real or potential internal and external threats and to ensure the safety of its citizens. This is one of the fundamental responsibilities of the state to its people, and the fundamental state responsibility according to the Realist view of IR. Before the advent of the state and the state system, security was provided by family, clan, warlord or another locally-based entity; this responsibility, among others, was gradually transferred to the state.
Historical Turning Points, Challenges and Preferences World War I Great Depression Word War II Turning point The Cuban missile crisis (1962) The anti-colonial movements in Asia and Africa ( 50s, 60s) and the secessionist movements in the former Soviet Union The global inflation of the 70s and 80s Conflicts in the Balkans (1992-5, 1999) Attacks on NYC (2001) Challenge and/or value peace (international system based on values) welfare peace (international system based on values and backed by force) national security freedom, sovereignity, political independence, self-determination interconnectedness of the global economy and welfare international order and human rights security and terrorism
Views of the State Traditional view States are valuable institutions: they provide security, freedom, order, justice and welfare People benefit from state system The standards of values have steadily increased and are now higher than ever due to the wellfunctioning state system Alternative view States and the state system create more problem that they solve The majority of the world s people suffer more than they benefit from the state system (sub-saharan Africa etc.)
1. Why study IR? 2. What is IR all about? 3. Brief historical sketch of the state system. 4. Characteristics of statehood 5. Do states survive?
Brief Historical Sketch of the State System States are not permanent features State is a historical institution and a social organization with ever changing advantages and disadvantages There where no clearly recognizable sovereign states before the sixteenth century and in the future the world may not be organized into a state system either The era of sovereign state coincides with the modern age of expanding power, prosperity, knowledge, science, technology, literacy, urbanization, citizenship, freedom, equality, rights and so on (the causality in the correlation is not so clear)
Starting Point First territory-based political communities: 5000 years ago No frontiers, but so called zone of political proximity which caused group contact that involved from the one hand rivalry from the other mutual respect and cooperation Diplomacy s ancient roots: First recorded formal agreements: 1390 BC Quasi-diplomatic activity: 653 BC Preliminary definition of state system: relations between politically organized human groupings which occupy distinctive territories, are not under any higher authority or power, and enjoy and exercise a measure of independence from each other
City-states and Empires 500 BC - 100 BC Greek city-states Based on shared language and common religion* 200 BC - AD 500 Roman Empire Subordinating occupied political communities 500-1500 Medieval Christian world Other historical empires Catolic Christendom: the Pope in Rome Orthodox Christendom: Byzantine Empire, Constantinople Persia, India, China Two politico-reigious empires Islamic civilization and the oldest empire: China Middle Ages: an era of empires and their relations and conflicts Intermittent contact: slow communication, transportation
The Christian Commonwealth of Medieval Europe RELIGIOUS HIERARCHY Pope POLITICAL HIERARCHY Emperor Archbishops, bishops and other leading clergy Kings and other semi-independent national rulers Priests and other common clergy Barons and other semiindependent local rulers Ordinary christians Common people of numerous local communities
Medieval and Modern Authority Dispersed medieval authority (no sovereignity) Centralized modern authorithy (sovereignity) Pope Archbishop Bishop Justice (highly unequal) Emperor Order (limited capacity to enforce) King Baron Freedom (of feudal rulers and their followers) Security Welfare (is connected to security we protect you... ) Government Security Freedom Order Justice Welfare Priest People Knight Security People
Sovereignity/Sovereign State (central term of IR) Ultimate internal authority Supreme authority over the affairs and people within a territory External recognition By other states and/or international organizations Monopoly of the means of warfare
The Thirty Years War (1618-48) and the Peace of Vestphalia Richelieu and the raison d etat Establishment of the state system 1. Adjoining states whose legitimacy and independence was mutually recognized 2. Recognition of states did not extend outside of the European state system 3. The relations of European states were subject to international law and diplomatic practices 4. Balance of power to prevent hegemony
Definition Hegemony: in IR a concept referring to a state s power relative to that of other states. A state may be considered a hegemon if it is so powerful economically and militarily that it is a dominant influence on the domestic and foreign policies of other states. Depending on its level of power, a state may be a regional hegemon (e.g., Germany immediately prior to and during World War II) or a global hegemon (e.g., many agree, the United States in the late 20th and early 21st centuries).
Balance of Power in Practice Hegemonic attempts Habsburg Empire (1618-48) King Louis XIV (1661-1714) Napoleon (1795-1815) Balance of power counteractions France and Sweden England and Holland Britain, Russia, Prussia and Austria 1815-1914 The Concert of Europe based on the Vienna Congress Germany (1939-45) USA, Soviet Union and Britain United States (1990-)?
Imperialism 1.Expedient alliances with non-european political systems 2.Conquered and subordinated the non-european political systems where they could 3.Colonies became a basic source of the wealth and power of the European states for several centuries... 4. Settler states became a member of the state system 5.There were no interest to incorporate non-european political systems into the European state system based on equal sovereignity
Global Expansion of the State System 1600s 1700s 1800s 1900s End of 1900s Europe (European system) + North America (Western System) + South America, Japan (globalizing system) + Asia, Africa, Caribbean, Pacific (global system) End of the Cold War, dissolution of the Soviet Union UN enlargement 21st century: a global system that has never been so diverse before
1. Why study IR? 2. What is IR all about? 3. Brief historical sketch of the state system 4. Characteristics of statehood 5. Do states survive?
How to Describe State? The state is a multifaceted and somewhat confusing entity Each theoretical approach emphasizes different features Internal aspect and external aspect of statehood
Internal and External Aspect of State Internal aspect (state as government) State-society relations: how the government rules the domestic society* the means of its power and the sources of its legitimacy** how it deals with the demands and concerns of individuals and groups which compose the domestic society*** how it manages the national economy**** what its domestic policies are External aspect (state as country) Interstate relations: how the governments and societies of states relate to each other* what the basis of those interstate relations are** what the foreign policies of particular states are what the international organizations of the states are how people from different states interact with each other and engage in transactions with each other
External Dimension of Statehood State as a country Territory, government, society Legal, juridical statehood Recognition by others Constitutional independence Actual empirical statehood Political institutions, economic basis, national unity
Definition Empirical statehood: Part of the external basis of a state's sovereignty; the extent to which a state fulfills its role as a substantial political-economic organization. A successful state in terms of empirical statehood has developed efficient political institutions, a solid economic basis, and a substantial degree of national unity (internal popular support for the state).
State Types in the Global State System Legal, juridical statehood? Taiwan, Chechyna, Quebec, etc. Actual empirical statehood? Quasi-states: Somalia, Liberia, Sudan, etc. Strong states: US, Denmark, Japan, France, etc.
Definition Quasi-state: A state that possesses juridical statehood but is severely deficient in empirical statehood. A large number of states in the Third World can be defined this way: they are recognized as states and participate in the state system, but they have weak or corrupt political institutions, underdeveloped economies, and little or no national unity (E.g. Somalia, Liberia, Sudan)
Power/strongness Matrix STRONG POWER WEAK POWER STRONG STATE USA, France, UK, Japan Denmark, Switzerland, New Zealand, Singapore WEAK STATE Russia, Pakistan, India Somalia, Liberia, Chad
The Global State System 5 great powers: US, Russia, China, Britain, France Approx. 30 highly substantial states: Europe, N. America, Japan Approx. 75 moderately substantial states: Europe, Asia and Latin America Approx. 90 less substantial quasi-states: Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Pacific Numerous unrecognized territorial political systems submerged in exsisting states
How Do Scolars View the State System? Realist Focus on major powers, great powers Liberal International Society Focus on the adverse conditions of quasi-states as a serious problem which raises issues of international order, freedom and justice IPE (Structuralist) Focus on the international linkages between the poverty of the Third World and the enrichment of America and Europe Unequal relations between the centre and the periphery
Does it Make Difference Being a Colony or a Weak State? Previous state system Small core of insiders, all strong states Many outsiders: colonies, dependencies, etc. Present state system Virtually all states are recognized insiders, possessing formal or juridicial statehood Big differences between insiders: some strong states, some weak quasi-states
Future of the State System Pros State system survived through: Scientific revolution of 17th century Enlightenment encounter of Western and non- Western civilizations imperialism, colonialism Industrial Revolution rise and spread of nationalism decolonization mass public education growth of welfare state Contras State system is facing the following challenges: ever increasing international trade and investment expanding multinational business activity continuous downsizing of governments increased privatization NGOs activities increasing communications (growth of Internet) cumulative environmental pollution regional integration science and technology development