POLS 2200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Kenneth Waltz, The Billiard Ball, Billiard Ball

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLS 2200
• Professor: Janine Clark

Document Summary

Seeks to provide a scientific explanation of the international political system. Waltz begins with independent states existing and operating within a system of international anarchy. Focuses on the structure of the system. In classical realism, state leaders and their international decisions and actions are the centre of attention. Neo-realists regard the distribution of power as the central analytical focus. The distribution of power determines the structure of the international system. Basic feature of the international system is anarchy. Within this system, states are alike in all basic functions in spite of their cultural or ideological differences. States differ only in regards to their varying capabilities for performing similar tasks. The structure of the system changes with changes in the distribution of capabilities a(cid:272)ross the s(cid:455)ste(cid:373)"s u(cid:374)its. Ie, international change occurs when great powers rise and fall and the balance of power shifts accordingly. Whereas strategic realists focus on the logic of foreign policy-making, waltz does not.