GOV 312L Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Collective Action, International Trade, World Politics
Document Summary
The rules of the game in a society or more formally they are the humanly devised constraints that shape human interaction and incentives. Institutions reward certain behaviors and punish other ones. Institutions influence politics by channeling behavior in a certain directions through incentives that reward/ punish certain behaviors. Cannot act; are not led by individual or leadership structure. In domestic policies, examples of institutions are electoral laws (having presidential elections every four years, winner of presidential elections is determined by electoral college) In international relations, examples of institutions are laws discouraging the use of chemical and nuclear weapons. Ex: united nations, north atlantic treaty organization, world trade organization. Wto created to promote and defend a series of international institutions designed to eliminate trade barriers among states. Might be created to promote and defend international institutions. Ios possess agency and political incentives that drive their behavior in the international system. Ios act to pursue some set of objectives.
