George Lawson

IR100 - The structure of international society: the balance of power (week 4)Lecture slides

 

 

 

 

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The Balance of Power

IR100 Lecture 4 2011-12George Lawson

The story so far the great transformation generates a core-

periphery international order sustained by coercive integration

contemporary international society can be understood as decentred globalism

this substantive agenda is the backdrop to two big IR ideas: balance of power and democratic peace, aka realism and liberalism

Four promises, plus one more for luck

The world comes first, the theory comes second

No theory explains everythingTheories may not always be usefulQuite often, theories are complementary

rather than competing

This is not the place for indulging in playground name-calling

Realism, version 1

‘Morality is a function of power and not the other way around’

Realism, version 2

‘What made war inevitable was the growth of Athenian power and the fear this caused in

Sparta’.

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Four key realist precepts, plus one for luck

The international realm is anarchic … and this matters

In an anarchic system, security is a first-order concern

The maximization of security means improving material capabilities

Its states who dunnit (particularly great powers)

And … these precepts are timeless

Balance of power 1 – Waltz Balance of power is an imperative of the

systemThe rise of one power is a threat to which

others must respondTherefore today? Balancing is coming … soon

… ish

Balance of power 2 – Bull An anarchical society consists of five

institutions: DiplomacyInternational lawGreat power managementWarBalance of power

The balance of power is a social practice, not a system imperative

Waltz vs. Bull vs. WohlforthWaltz: balance of power is our jammy doughnut.

Mmmm.But where’s the evidence of balancing today?

Bull: balance of power is constructed by states-peopleBut how much does this tell us?

Wohlforth: balancing occurs only rarely in world history

So … does the democratic peace fare any better as IR’s master idea? To be continued …