POLI 243 Chapter 2: Political Science Chapter 2 Summary.docx
13 May 2013
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Chapter 2: the levels of analysis system level arguments. System-level theories concentrate on characteristics of the international system and most often the system"s structure to explain state behaviour; how system moulds behaviour. Structural realism: use distribution of power to explain state behaviour, different distributions of power among sovereign states in an anarchic environment drive them to act differently. According to ronald dahl power is control over actors appearing in ways of: 1. ) Control over actions getting actor to do something they otherwise wouldn"t do 2. ) Control over agenda control over which issues are debated, and when 3. ) Control over preferences ability influence what other actors desire. Can only recognize power after it has been used; and power is relative. Comparing military units has been misleading and numbers don"t tell the whole story so finding out who is more powerful before-hand is trickier than finding out after the fact.
