POLI 319 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Democratic Peace Theory, Lester B. Pearson, Middle Power
13 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
POLI 342
FRIDAY 01.19.2018
DEFINING CANADA IN LITERATURE
** Looking over the literature surrounding CFP, the
theoretical debates among FP theorists **
Debates on problem solving, critical theory. Some decide
to study CFP from critical perspective (feminism, post-
modernism, constructivism, etc)
CFP is generally very descriptive. This is a challenge;
we lack theoretical frameworks.
•the disparity may be due to many variables: what
people want to write about, what journals want to
publish, etc.
1. MIDDLE POWER PERSPECTIVE
Firstly, what is power? More on this next week.
If there is a middle power, there must be a higher and
lower level.
This concept emerged because Canadians started to
compare themselves to others after WW2. We lost and
gave a lot in this time
→ we the wanted to be part of decision making after this,
felt entitled to it. To be a part of the construction of the
post-ww2 world.
→ ww2 Canada decided it would help, connected them to
first UK then US. Changed the way Canada saw itself.
(very important**)
Canada’s literature then started referring to itself as
middle power, lacking military power but wanting to
develop its internationalist strategy.
Also wanted to develop its domestic economy, which
needs stable world order. It became an active member
in world affairs in multiple ways, for these four pillars.
1. Need for peace
2. Stable world
3. Security
4. Prosperity
Lester Pearson: important for start of peacekeeping in
UN, received Nobel Peace Prize. This caused a lot of
literature with Canada as peacekeeper, as honest broker
Jean Chretien: bans on mines around the world
Vancouver, last week: we decided to play the role of
broker with the summit on North Korea
INTERNATIONALISM
Opposite of isolationism — includes democracy around
the world (democratic peace theory) and within,
of 1 3
Document Summary
** looking over the literature surrounding cfp, the theoretical debates among fp theorists ** Some decide to study cfp from critical perspective (feminism, post- modernism, constructivism, etc) We the wanted to be part of decision making after this, felt entitled to it. To be a part of the construction of the post-ww2 world. Ww2 canada decided it would help, connected them to. Changed the way canada saw itself. (very important**) Canada"s literature then started referring to itself as middle power, lacking military power but wanting to develop its internationalist strategy. Also wanted to develop its domestic economy, which needs stable world order. It became an active member in world affairs in multiple ways, for these four pillars. This is a challenge; we lack theoretical frameworks: the disparity may be due to many variables: what people want to write about, what journals want to publish, etc, need for peace, stable world, security, prosperity, middle power perspective.
