POL208Y1 Lecture 7: Lecture 7.docx
Document Summary
Rally around the flag: substitute lack of domestic importance with exacerbated nationalism. Most belligerent: with mild recession especially just before elections. But few wars at the end of terms (never wars at end of terms of government) In the us: first vs. second term presidents. 3)world system (balance of power, polarity, power transition, offence/defence balance): one thing that is constant in intl relations is anarchy, while anarchy is constant, everything else can change and consequently affect the systemic propensity for war. It describes the tendency for states to try to balance against threats to align themselves in such a way to avoid war a create balance. It is also prescriptive insofar as it recommends certain types of policies, where they overcome their weaknesses through alliances. It is a very mechanistic notion of intl affairs. A balanced system is more stable; states will therefore join together to maintain a balanced system in face of an emerging power.
