POL114H5 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Democracy Promotion, Friedrich Engels, For Marx

78 views10 pages
21 Jun 2018
School
Course
Prof. Kristin Cavoukian POL114
Chapter 1 Global Politics: The
Discipline & Its Theoretical
Foundations
Complexity, Insecurity, Convergence, Divergence
STUDYING GLOBAL POLITICS
What isInternational Relations (IR)?
The study of international relations (commonly known as international studies) is a field under
political science. Most theories that explain complex phenomena of IR are derived from political
philosophy & political science.
IR can also reveal the extent that global politics impacts a wide range of occupations & activities.
Canada & Global Politics (Profile 1.1)
In 2017, Canada had a population of 36,624,199, the 2nd largest territory in the world (Russia has the
largest), and the 10th largest economy. It faces no traditional military threats to its territory or political
independence, has a high standard of living, & is free of violent conflict.
The Canadian economy is heavily dependent on trade (the U.S. is the destination for ~70% of
exports), and Canada is a member of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Canadas foreign policy emphasizes the maintenance of international peace & security, making
contributions to international institutions, select multilateral military operations (such as Afghanistan
in 2001 & Libya in 2011), democracy promotion, human rights, arms control, & development.
Canada is a significant diplomatic actor, and belongs to many international forums/institutions,
including the Group of Eight (G8), the Group of Twenty (G20), the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO), the Commonwealth, La Francophonie, and the United Nations (UN).
What is Multilaterism?
Multilateralism refers to an alliance of multiple countries pursuing a common goal. Successive
Canadian governments have been strong supporters of multilateralism.
What isIrrelevancy Disease’?
In many cases, academics rely on highly abstract theoretical thinking, which many find difficult to
relate to their daily lives. This is known as irrelevancy disease, and it effects all academic
disciplines.
4 MAJOR SUBFIELDS
oInternational Relations Theory: A body of literature that seeks to define & explain the nature of the
international system, and the behaviour of the actors within it.
oInternational Security: The study of conflict & war, and attempts to prevent or control it. Recently, it has
broadened its focus to include ethnic & religious conflicts, the proliferation of weapons, & the link between the
environment & security.
Chapter 1 - Global Politics: The Discipline & Its Theoretical Foundations
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Unlock document

This preview shows pages 1-3 of the document.
Unlock all 10 pages and 3 million more documents.

Already have an account? Log in
Prof. Kristin Cavoukian POL114
oInternational Political Economy: Study of issues such as trade, finance, debt, poverty, economic crisis, etc.
oInternational Organization: Studies institutions such as the UN, and focuses on instruments of cooperation
such as the establishment of institutions; regimes; agreements amongst states, groups & individuals; and the
development of international law.
What’s ‘Normative Work?
Normative work is where writers put forth their vision of how the world should be. Normative
projects reflect moral & ethical judgments, and often seek to demonstrate how ethics inform the
actions of world leaders & diplomats.
3 PRIMARY LEVELS OF ANALYSIS
oIndividual Level: Focuses on the decisions of individuals, and the perceptions, values & experiences that
motivate those decisions. Generally, it emphasizes the role of political leaders, for it is often assumed (perhaps
erroneously) that those individuals most influence the trajectory of world events.
oState or Group Level: Focuses on the behaviour of individual states, which often attributed to the form of
government one finds.
For example, it is assumed that liberal democracies dont fight wars against each other, and thus the explanation
for may be found through analyzing different political modes of governance.
Its necessary to look within states to determine which groups are influencing policy. Free trade is supported &
opposed by multiple groups within a country.
oSystemic Level: Actions of states are seen as the result of external influences & pressures on them in relation to
their attributes or position in world politics. Does the structure of the system predetermine the actions of agents?
Or do humans shape events of their own accord? Or is this a false dichotomy?
Dominant Actors vs. Counter-Dominant Actors
As political scientists we are often interested in identifying the dominant actors. However, every
form of dominance or control generates opposition. Thus, we seek also to identify & explain the
motivations of counter-dominant actors.
What is Power?
Power has both hard & soft dimensions. Hard power refers to material capabilities & the ability to
achieve desired outcomes using military force or economic resources. In contrast, soft power refers
to social influence & the ability to persuade others through the creation of sound policy proposals,
moral and ethical leadership, compelling cultural ideas and symbols, and innovation and creativity.
Neither hard nor soft power is distributed equally in the world, and neither guarantee a preferred
outcome for those that wield it.
IDEALISM
What is Idealism?
An idealist perspective assumes the best of human nature: we are essentially cooperative beings, but
we are occasionally led astray by evil influences into war and conflict, and we have a natural affinity
toward the communal (as opposed to the individual) good.
Political idealism has its origins in the philosophical tradition of liberalism, which emerged in
Europe in the 16th century, and it emphasized the liberty of the individual and the need to protect this
liberty from the state or any form of tyranny. This is what fuels values such as tolerance, or concepts
such as capitalism & free trade.
Chapter 1 - Global Politics: The Discipline & Its Theoretical Foundations
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Unlock document

This preview shows pages 1-3 of the document.
Unlock all 10 pages and 3 million more documents.

Already have an account? Log in
Prof. Kristin Cavoukian POL114
Liberal philosophers include John Locke, Immanuel Kant, Benjamin Constant, John Stuart Mill,
Montesquieu, David Hume, Adam Smith, T.H. Green, L.T. Hobhouse, and Thomas Jefferson.
Post-WWI idealists include G. Lowes Dickinson, Alfred Zimmern, Norman Angell, James T.
Shotwell, and U.S. President Woodrow Wilson.
What are the Basic Assumptions Idealists Make?
oHuman Nature is Good: Assistance & cooperation are possible & natural, motivated by the human qualities
of altruism, philanthropy & humanitarianism.
oEvil is not innate to humanity: Evil activity or harmful behaviour is the result of bad institutions, states &
structures that motivate individuals to act in a self-interested, distrustful, or aggressive manner.
oSocial Progress is Possible: Human society has developed & improved, and will continue to do so.
oMain Problem of IR is War: International society must reform itself with the aim of preventing future wars.
oWar Can Be Preventive: Eliminating bad institutions, states & structures will eliminate the root causes of war.
oInternational Cooperation Promotes Peace: International organizations & international law, based on
enlightened self-interest, will help prevent war.
What is the Collective Security System?
It’s the idealists answer to the promotion of war by the structure of international relations. Within
such a system, all states would agree that in the case of aggression by any state against any other state
in the system, all other states would respond to defend the attacked state. Like Article 5 in NATO.
What Were Some Post-War Idealist Efforts?
The League of Nations (the pre-cursor of the United Nations). As well as U.S President Woodrow
Wilsons Fourteen Points, which was a statement of principles for peace that was to be used for
peace negotiations to end WWI.
Unfortunately, the events of the war eroded faith in idealist assumptions & solutions, causing the end
of idealisms golden years.
REALISM
What is Classical Realism?
After WWII, the world began to reexamine their assumption about the progressiveness of human
nature. Realists view people as unitary, rational & self-interested actors, and that political relations
between groups revolve around conflict. In global politics, the primary actors are states that exist in a
world of anarchy (due to no world government or police force to enforce order). Military power is
the most important expression & guarantor of survival, and the most important issue is the threat or
use of physical force (everything else is consideredlow politics). War is always possible, as a
result, unless you make the world system non-anarchic. Realists assert that the only way to do so is
by a world government, which they say is practically impossible.
Intellectual Roots of Realism
The intellectual roots of realism lay in early writings about war & statecraft in the analysis of the
ancient Greek historian Thucydides, the opinions of Kautilya, the military instructions of Sun Tzu,
the pragmatic advice of Niccolo Machiavelli, and the broader reflections of the English theoretician
Thomas Hobbes. It was built on the intellectual heritage of realpolitik; a system of politics based on
practical rather than moral or ideological considerations.
What Assumptions do Realists Make?
Chapter 1 - Global Politics: The Discipline & Its Theoretical Foundations
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Unlock document

This preview shows pages 1-3 of the document.
Unlock all 10 pages and 3 million more documents.

Already have an account? Log in

Get access

Grade+20% off
$8 USD/m$10 USD/m
Billed $96 USD annually
Grade+
Homework Help
Study Guides
Textbook Solutions
Class Notes
Textbook Notes
Booster Class
40 Verified Answers
Class+
$8 USD/m
Billed $96 USD annually
Class+
Homework Help
Study Guides
Textbook Solutions
Class Notes
Textbook Notes
Booster Class
30 Verified Answers

Related Documents