REALISM AND LIBERALISM

Dr. NGUYEN Cat-Ngoc,

Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Essentials of Realism
Statism: state, sovereignty, power, capabilities,
hegemonic stability theory.
Survival:
Self-help: security dilemma,
Statism
State is the main actor and sovereignty is its
distinguish trait.
Sovereignty: state has supreme authority to make and
enforce laws.
Domestically: state provides security to its citizens
Internationally: many threats and dangers to states
survival because of anarchy - no central authority to
bind all countries.
Realism
Competition: zero-sume game
Politics is a struggle for power
Power is control over the minds and actions of the others.
Power is a relational and relative concept.
Kenneth Waltz: capabilities: strength in population, territory,
resources, economic capability, military strength, political
stability and competence, state ability to control or influence its
environment.
Critics: exclusive focus on state power; state is the only actor,
collective response to global issues.
Hegemonic stability theory
Survival
In international politics, the pre-eminent goal is
survival.
Ultimate concern of states is security.
Survival is a condition for attaining all other goals.
Defensive realists (Waltz and Grieco): security is
states principal interest and only seek the requisite
amount of power to ensure their own survival.
Not seek more power if it damages security.
Existence of Status quo powers lessens power
competition.
Realism
Offensive realists (Mearsheimer): the ultimate goal of
all states is to achieve a hegemonic position on the
international system. States desire more power and are
willing to change the existing distribution of power (if
they can + even if it undermines their security).
Revisionist states and aspiring hegemons are always
willing to take risks with the goal of increasing their
position in the international system.
Henry Kissinger: a nations survival is its first and
ultimate responsibility; it cannot be compromised or
put to risk.
Critics: no limits to states actions in the name of
necessity?
Self-help
International structure: no higher authority to prevent and
counter the use of force.
Security is only achieved through self-help: in an anarchic
structure self-help is necessarily the principle of action.
Security dilemma: In pursuing ones own security, the state will
automatically fuel the insecurity of other states.
How can states solve security dilemma>
Balance of power
Critics: not inevitable consequence of the system, but the game
states chose to play. Examples of collective security or regional
integration.
Liberalism
Liberty of the individual
From the 18
th
century onwards, Liberalism has strong
impact on the world politics.
Liberal internationalism
Idealism
Liberal institutionalism
Liberal internationalism
Immanuel Kant and Jeremy Bentham:
Natural order has been corrupted by undemocratic
state leaders and out-dated policies such as balance of
power.
Contact between peoples of the world: commerce,
travel a more pacific form of international relations.
Idealism
Importance of constructing an international order.
Freedom of states is part of the problem of international
relations, not solutions/
How to promote peace and build a better world.
Role of international organizations: rules and norms.
I.O facilitate peaceful change, disarmament, arbitration and
enforcement (when necessary).
League of Nations (1920): collective security system failed to
prevent the WW II.
United Nations (1945): membership was near universal + great
powers were able to enforce any enforcement action from taking
place which might be contrary to their interests.
Liberal institutionalism
In the 1940s, turned to international organisations
Integration in Europe.
New challenges to realism.
Focus on transnational corporations, NGOs, new
patterns of interaction: interdependence, integration.