PSC 116G Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Complex Interdependence, Power Transition Theory, Levée En Masse
Study of IR
• Principle features of IR-
o Conflict & principle features of IR Cooperation
o Power- the ability of an actor to achieve its goals. Exactly what constitutes power and
how to measure it are vexing problems in international relations
o Purpose- the goals that actors pursue, including the nation of “national interest”.
Whether actors see themselves as having shared or competing goals is a central concern
o Theory- a generalized explanation of a set of comparable phenomena
• General Model of Political Science
o Starts with clearly defined questions
o Identifies possible answers (hypotheses)
o Predict Observed Patterns for each explanation
o Define and measure key factors
o Choose research method and evaluate findings
• Methodology- the set of principles, strategies, and practical steps used to evaluate competing
hypotheses
• Types of Int’l Actors
o States- an entity defined by a specific territory within which a single government has
authority
o Nonstate Actors- a political actor that is not a state, such as an advocacy group, charity,
corporation, or terrorist group
▪ Multinational Corporation (MNCs)- a company with operations in more than
one country; a type of nonstate actor; also called a transnational corporation
o Substate Actors- groups and interests witin states that influence that state’s foreign
policy (interest groups)
o Nation- groups of people who share a sense of national identity (usually language,
culture, history)
o Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs)- World Bank, U.N. NATO
o Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) – a broad category of diverse organizations,
including groups similar to domestic interest groups but with transnational concerns and
organizational structures, and groups that focus not on influencing government but on
conducting activities in different countries non-profit groups such as church’s
History of the International System
• Empire City-State, History of the Peloponnesian War, Thucydides
o Empire- an extensive group of states or countries under a single supreme authority,
formerly especially an emperor or empress – emerged as the ablity to cover large
distances developed (Egyptian, Persian, Roman, Arab, Chinese, Mayan, Aztec, Incan)
o City-State- a state that centers on a single city, rather than a larger territory or a nation.
▪ Political systems of ancient Greece were an exception during this time period.
▪ Greek city-states are one of the earliest examples of international politics
o History of the Peloponnesian War- book written by Thucydides. First attempt to
advance a general understanding of how international politics works, and his fundamental
assertions continue to be influential today
o Thucydides- asserted war that the war was caused by the changing distribution of power
between Athens and Sparta. He provided an embryonic theory of international politics
• Feudalism, Reformation, Renaissance, law of war
o Feudalism/Feudal System- a political system in which legal and political subservience
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is owned to multiple overlapping authorities, such as local nobles, emperors, and the
Pope, rather than being defined territorially
o Reformations- 1517, most significant ‘political’ development of early modern European
history
o Renaissance- Italian city states (Venice, Florence, Milan) – was a period 14th century –
17th century, regarded as the cultural bridge between the Middle Ages and Modern
History
o Law of War- a doctrine concerning when it is permissible to go to war and what means
of conducting war are (and are not) permissible
• Peace (Treaty) of Westphalia, Westphalian system, Thirty Years War, sovereignty, recognition
o Peace (Treaty) of Westphalia- 1648 treaty that ended the Thirty Years War
o Westphalian System- the system of sovereign states that was recognized by the Treaty
of Westphalia in 1648
o Thirty Years War- 1618-1648 series of declared and undeclared political and religious
wars
▪ Political– Habsburg Holy Roman Empire vs. Proto-states
▪ Civil- in modern day Germany
▪ Religious- Catholics vs Lutherans, Calvinists 1/3 population dead
o Sovereignty- the principle that states have complete authority over their own territory
o Recognition- the acceptance by the international community of a state’s sovereignty over
its territory
• French Revolution, Napoleon, Levee en Masse, Council of Vienna, Concert of Europe
o French Revolution- 1789- 1799 – nationalism, national self-determination, democracy –
abolished the French monarchy and established a republic
o Napoleon- Emperor of France, comes to power in 1799, conquers most of Europe
o Levee en Masse- a draft, initiated by Napoleon following the French Revolution, that
allowed France to vastly expand its army
o Napoleonic Wars- 1803-1815
o Council of Vienna- 1815 treaty ends Napoleonic wars, restores international stability,
reinforced sovereignty: France is allowed to exist
o Concert of Europe- an agreement reached at the Congress of Vienna in 1815 in which
major European powers pledged to cooperate to maintain peace and stability 1816-1914
Britain, Austria, Prussia
▪ Britain plays role as ‘balancer’ as the hegemon
• Nationalism, national self-determination, Colonialism/Imperialism
o Nationalism- the doctrine that recognizes the nation as the primary unit of political
allegiance
o National self-determination- the doctrine that each state should consist of a single
nation and each distinct nation should have its own
o Colonialism- a type of imperialism in which the dominating state takes direct control of a
territory
o Imperialism- a situation in which one country controls another country or territory
• Triple Alliance, Triple Entente, Treaty of Versailles, reparations, League of Nations, collective
security, isolationism
o Triple Alliance- a pre-world war 1 agreement by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
that if one state were to be attacked the others would come to its aid. Formed in 1882 –
1915
o Triple Entente- pre-world war 1 agreement by Britain, France, and Russia that if one
state were to be attacked the others would come to its aid 1894 - 1907
o Treaty of Versailles- agreement ending WW1 that set up the League of Nations. Signed
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Document Summary
Study of ir: principle features of ir, conflict & principle features of ir cooperation, power- the ability of an actor to achieve its goals. Exactly what constitutes power and how to measure it are vexing problems in international relations: purpose- the goals that actors pursue, including the nation of national interest . Whether actors see themselves as having shared or competing goals is a central concern: theory- a generalized explanation of a set of comparable phenomena, general model of political science. He provided an embryonic theory of international politics: feudalism, reformation, renaissance, law of war, feudalism/feudal system- a political system in which legal and political subservience is owned to multiple overlapping authorities, such as local nobles, emperors, and the. Pope, rather than being defined territorially: reformations- 1517, most significant political" development of early modern european history, renaissance- italian city states (venice, florence, milan) was a period 14th century .
