PLIR 1010 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Cuban Missile Crisis, Democratic Peace Theory, Nuclear Weapon
27 Apr 2016
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Problem: military conflict: resorting to military force to solve problems causes humanitarian and political destruction . Problem: international trade: as countries move towards free trade, protectionism remains and taxes are raised to high levels on some foreign goods. What are states trying to achieve: morgenthau uses power to answer this (1948 politics among nations) states act in their own material interests by accumulating power. Assumptions made: #1 states are instrumentally rational #2 national survival is the ultimate objective #3 states are unitary actors (acting upon individual interests as individual entities: power=security. To pursue security accumulate power (build military, make allies: foreign policy is driven by issues endemic to international relations so, the sentiments expressed by leaders prior to the events is irrelevant (due to pressure of international anarchy) Drawing a good theory: make generalized claims (eliminate proper nouns, ensure falsifiability (some evidence could refute the theory)
