POL 230 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Mutual Assured Destruction, Democratic Peace Theory, Great Power
Document Summary
Too much power is a mistake that provokes balancing behavior by other states. Offense-defense balance : is weighted in defense"s favor. Great powers are always searching for opportunities to gain power over their rivals with hegemony as their primary goal. Systems are populated with great powers with revisionist intentions. Great powers aren"t mindless aggressors, sue calculated aggression. Cooperation is possible, but difficult to maintain/achieve. Oye the conditions for cooperation in world politics . Power is not the only factor in balancing v bandwagoning. States tend to ally with or against the foreign power that poses the greatest threat. Liberalism is highly successful, it"s essential principle is freedom of the individual: moral freedom and ethical treatment. 3 rights: private property, equality/opportunity, democratic legislation. The decline of the us hegemony may spark issues in providing mutual assistance. Modern democracies need int"l institutions: are a way of mitigating anarchy. Should have robust democratic institutions at home, formal structures, int"l delegation, and transnational networks.
