I.R. textbook notes PDF

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Reading Notes from 9/27/16 to 12/1/16. Professor Kinne....

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FLS Notes Introduction -Common threat of environmental degradation creates a need for international cooperation. -World politics is not just the study of war and death, but also the study of the inequality of living standards. The world has improved, for example in more than half of the world now live in democratic countries. Twelve puzzles: • Given the human and material costs of military conflict, why do countries sometimes wage war rather than resolve their disputes through negotiations? (ch. 3) Wars are fought in spite of their costs bc the costs do not fall on the actors who call the shots. They serve the interests of influential groups within the states (ex. corporations). Because war is costly, a settlement that all sides prefer to war generally exists. • What if there are actors within a country who see war as beneficial and who expect to pay few or none of its costs? Do countries fight wars to satisfy influential domestic interests? (ch. 4) • Why is it so hard for the international community to prevent and punish acts of aggression among and within states? (ch. 5) • Why is so much political violence in the contemporary world conducted by or against nonstate actors, including rebel groups and terrorist organizations? Why do people sometimes use violence against their own governments or unarmed civilians? (ch. 6) • Why are trade barriers so common despite the universal advice of economists? Why do trade policies vary so widely? (ch. 7) • Why is international finance so controversial? Why are international financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund so strong? (ch. 8) • Why do countries pursue different currency policies, from dollarizing or joining the euro, to letting their currency’s value float freely? (ch. 9) Why are some countries rich and some countries poor? (ch. 10) • How can the international community constrain a sovereign state’s actions? When and why do • states do what is “right”? (ch. 11) • Why do countries sometimes try to protect the human rights of people outside their borders? In light of widespread support for the principle of human rights, why has the movement to protect those right not been more successful? (ch. 12) • Given that nearly everyone wants a cleaner and healthier environment, why is it so hard to cooperate internationally to protect the environment? (ch. 13) • Why are some periods marked by extensive global conflict while other periods experience robust efforts at cooperation? Which of these patterns will hold in the future? (ch. 14) -Two types of interactions in politics: bargaining and cooperation. Bargaining= two or more actors try to divide a fixed value- it’s redistributive. Cooperation= commensalism. Makes one better off and the other no worse off than when it started. Two or more actors have common interests and need to act in a coordinated way to achieve those interests. -Realism: there’s anarchy and no central authority in the world to make and enforce laws that bind all actors. States’ interests are generally in conflict, every state must look out for its own security, first and foremost. Lots of bargaining, with coercion as a possibility. -Liberalism: any one interest does not dominate all others. Government’s interests come from within, not from the need to survive. Conflict is not inevitable but occurs when actors fail to

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recognize common interests. Wealth is a common goal. Progress is possible. Spreading democracy can prevent the dangers of war. Too idealistic. -Constructivism: De-emphasize the material sources of interests (wealth) of liberalism, instead focusing on on nonmaterial factors like ideas, culture, and norms. Ex. if lots of countries consider bows and arrows to be barbaric, that country will stop using it in order to be seen as civilized, even if using those weapons would enhance their security.Desire to conform> other interests. Allies are those who share the same ideas “we are all democracies” and foes are “you are not like us.” Significant potential for change in world politics. -Instead of just one idea, it’s a combo of all 3. Coercive power plays a fundamental role in international politics (realism) but that power is often used in pursuit of domestic interests (liberalism) and ideas (constructivism).

Chapter 1 -peace and prosperity in Europe and North America between 1815-1914. Economies and output grew really fast. With WWI came death, postwar violence, economic uncertainty, ethnic conflict, etc. In 1929, the world spiraled even further downward into mass unemployment, dictatorship, and another world war. Mercantilism -Europe might not have led the world in highly-populated cities, but it was the leader of imperialism because of their interests- they wanted secured access to their newly-discovered colony’s precious metals and trade, and strengthen their own economies to have an advantage. Their interactions- imperialism was facilitated by industrialization in Europe, widening the wealth gap (people were richer in Europe than Africa), and technological innovations set them ahead and made them a world leader. and their institutions- the empire’s harsh rule over the colonies allowed for valuable resources to be controlled by the mother country. Did not allow the colony to have autonomy. No political rights… eventually led to uprisings for independence! -By 1700, the world was unquestionably controlled by western Europeans. Direct rule over colonies in Asia and America. Local populations didn’t welcome european influence. It wasn’t until the 19th century that non-European powers (US, Japan, Soviet Union, China) started to emerge. -European countries wanted 1 to ensure their own political and military power and 2 access markets and resources in other parts of the world. third world countries had rich natural treasures for Europe’s growing industries. = mercantilism. mother country> colonies -mercantilism involved manipulating the market so that the colonies could only trade in a way that would favor the mother country. ex. americas have to pay more to get something from Britain than Britain would pay to get something from the americas. colonies could only buy and sell certain goods from the mother country. Colonies received less and paid more, but in return obtained the protection of a powerful empire. -Pros and cons of American trade as a colony: -pros: protection of the British army and navy. If america had to pay for private insurance, it would cost so much more. -cons: people lost money because Britain paid less for enumerated goods than what they were really worth. They paid 50% less for tobacco and rice (america’s primary exports). Principal losers were the tobacco and rice planters, and merchants and craftsmen in New England bc of the restrictions on shipping and manufacturing. That’s why the principal supporters of independence were where the costs of colonialism were highest.

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-Thirty Years’ War= French, Dutch, and allies sealed the decline of Spain. War ended with the Peace of Westphalia, which created the modern state system. Recognized principles of sovereignty and nonintervention. Basically, “mind your own business to other country’s internal affairs- respect sovereignty.” -England and France conflicted for a while, but the Seven Years War in America ended the French presence in the New World, and Napoleon’s defeat to British forces in the Battle of Waterloo est. British dominance. Britain was dominant= had international hegemony. -With the Industrial Revolution in Britain came the end of mercantilism in 1815, as nations changed their economic interests. Instead of strict restraints on the movement of goods and money like in the past, most government wanted more links among their economies- they became more cooperative as they pursued common interests like wealth AKA LIBERALISM. this led to accelerated economic growth worldwide from 1815-1914. World was peaceful during the Hundred Years’ Peace. -British hegemony led to “Pax Britannica”, their dominance was a stabilizing force among European nations, pre-EU. They prevented the supremacy of any one European country over the other, balancing the power. -British now desired open trade-foreigners were allowed to sell their products freely to Britain, which meant importing cheaper raw materials. Foreigners who earned more by selling to Britain would turn around and buy more British goods. -The gold standard (prevailing b/w 1870-1914) meant that countries tied their currencies to gold at a legally fixed, reestablished rate. As a result, the industrial world essentially shared one international currency. Therefore, citizens of rich countries invested lots of their savings abroad. Gold standard-> globalization!!! -Rich nations were interested in the resources and markets of the poor countries of Latin America, Africa and Asia. In the 1870’s, after around a century of European empires shrinking, a resurgence of colonial expansion started anew. A scramble for new colonies started bc new powers (Germany, Italy, Japan, US) saw colonial possessions as a way of improving their military position AKA like a chessboard. Growth of industry increased the desire for overseas markets and resources. Thirty Years’ Crisis -Peace and prosperity in Europe ended with the start of WWI in 1914. -Once 1900 hit, the Ottoman/Austro-Hungarian/Russian empires were waning, while the US, Germany and Japan recently became international forces to be reckoned with. Germany’s population and economy in 1900 were the largest in Europe, creating friction. Germany was frustrated with their meager colonial possessions, so they wanted to expand onto neighboring lands with large German populations. -Europe divided into Central Powers AKA Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Ottoman Empire vs. Allied Powers AKA Russia, Britain, and France and most of the rest of Europe. World War 1 -trench warfare led to heavy losses on both sides.

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-Central powers lost when 1) America finally decided to help out the Allies in 1917 and 2) the failure of German submarine warfare to cut Britain off from its supplies. -The war led to the Central Powers’ empires shattering. Ottoman Empire became just Turkey, Germany lost what few colonies it had, along with large portions of land. Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires also split apart. -Economic recovery was slow because of hyperinflation. Dissatisfied middle classes became a base for extreme right-wing movements AKA Fascists in Italy and Nazis in Germany. Nationalism grew prominent, promoting tensions among European nations. Communism grew in Russia, favoring government ownership of the means of production, rather than capitalist private property. Planned economy> market system. -The end of the war meant the US would become the main source of war loans to the Allies. US went from being the world’s biggest debtor to its biggest lender. US didn’t approve American entry into the League of Nations (essentially the UN, pre-UN). Once the Republicans took over in 1920, America became isolationist, insulating itself from the uncertainties of European conflict. -WWII was inevitable. French and Germans were still fighting over surrounding land, and the Treaty of Versailles imposed payments of reparations, which Germany couldn’t pay. France wanted America to lower their debt so they wouldn’t have to ask Germany for so much, but America didn’t want to lose billions of dollars to further their involvement with Europe. They were unsympathetic. Hostile situations. -Great Depression in 1929 caused more hardship than any economic downturn in modern history. No country was untouched, unemployment peaked at 1/3 of Germans. -Economic catastrophe encouraged extreme right-wing, highly nationalistic, often militaristic governments to power (nazis and fascists). World War 2 -Fascist governments that turned against the global economy vs. democratic powers still committed to international economic cooperation. -In 1940, the three major Fascist powers- Germany, Italy, and Japan- formed the Axis. By 1941, Germany controlled all of Europe except Britain, and invaded the Soviet Union. Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Up until then, all the US was doing was supporting British with supplies. But once Pearl Harbor happened, people were like heeellll no son you wanna go? and any lingering American reluctance to get involved in another world war vanished. From then on, the war was Axis vs. Allies (US, Britain, Soviet Union). -1945, Germany surrendered. America dropped nukes on Japan to force a Japanese surrender, which it did. Cold War -Unlike WWI, WWII results were conclusive. Only two countries left who had power and a military were the US and Soviet Union. They were allies, but represented completely different socioeconomic systems and ideals. One was a capitalist democracy, the other a one-party communist system. -Four principal victors (US, Soviet Union, Great Britain, France) would cooperate under the new UN to manage international relations peacefully. -US formed NATO, a military alliance with Europe against a possible attack from Soviet Union. An attack on one country in NATO would be considered an attack on all.

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-Soviet Union had its own Communist alliance, called the Warsaw Pact, with its European allies. Also had other alliances with China, North Korea, and North Vietnam. Cold War pitted the two superpowers against each other. They started hoarding and getting ready for war, with the US creating military alliances and providing aid to Western Europe through the Marshall Plan, in order to speed up postwar reconstruction. -There was a reduction in trade barriers, and the International Monetary Fund started a new gold-dollar standard in which the US dollar was tied to gold, and all other currencies were tied to the dollar. This est. America as dominant in western powers. -Many newly independent countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean were forced to choose who to ally with- US or Soviet Union. -Both sides built up nuclear weapon arsenals. It was a stand-off. -In the Cold War, there was no direct warfare between the superpowers, however there was brinksmanship in which the two came to the brink of war. Like in the 1949 Berlin airlift, when American planes dropped off supplies to Soviet-controlled Eastern Germany, and the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. -Both countries used military force to prevent other countries from falling to the sphere of its rival. The US used its military to undermine government that were Communist or seen as likely to come under Communist influence- same with Soviet Union. -The developing world were used like chess pieces for the two sides. Whenever there was a fight, Soviet Union was backing one side, and sending supplies, and the US the other side. These were called proxy wars- much of the developing world became a Cold War battleground between pro-American and pro-Soviet forces. Decolonization -The developing world of Africa, Asia, and Latin America had supported themselves by exporting raw materials and importing manufactured goods from the industrial world. But once WWI started in 1914, the rich nations were unable to continue normal trade relations b/c they were absorbed in war or devastated by economic crisis. -Therefore, the developing world was forced to rely less on its economic ties with the industrial nations and focus more on their own markets and products. -Many developing countries started undertaking efforts at furthering their own industrial development, raising their standards of living. A lot of developing countries became selfsufficient for the first time since colonization. -This, along with raising nationalism, led to dissatisfaction with continued colonial rule and more countries becoming independent from their mother countries. -Within a few years of the end of WWII, almost all of colonial Asia and the Middle East was independent. Colonialism was finished. -Third-world nations started trying to have more of a voice in international politics, and at first it didn’t really work but once they started using their natural resources (ex. oil) to bargain, the third world could ask for conditions more favorable to developing nations. End of Cold War -Mid 1960’s, the Cold War was showing signs of ending. France withdrew from NATO and US was focusing its efforts on the unpopular Vietnam War.

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-Meanwhile, the Soviet Union lots its biggest ally, China. And Eastern Europe (Estoniaaaaaa) was dissatisfied with Soviet control. -Reduction in hostility AKA détente began. -Then, in 1979, all of a sudden hostility began anew when the Soviet Union entered Afghanistan to support a fragile pro-Soviet government. The US and its allies, in response, imposed trade sanctions, boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, and when Reagan became president, made plans to deploy new missiles in Western Europe (easy striking distance of major Soviet cities). -Soviet Union couldn’t keep up militarily because their economy was falling behind. When Gorbachev got power, he improved US relations with greater political openness (glasnost) and economic reconstruction (perestroika). In 1989, Soviet troops withdrew from Afghanistan, the Berlin Wall came down, and by 1991 the Soviet Union dissolved. Middle Eastern Politics -Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein, invaded Kuwait. The UN Security Council told Iraq to leave Kuwait, and when they didn’t, the American-led coalition began massive attacks on Iraq, defeating Iraqi forces quickly. Showed how the UN could act collectively to resolve problems of general concern. -On 9/11, members of the Islamic extremist network Al Qaeda hijacked planes and flew them into the World Trade Center in NYC . The US and its NATO allies retaliated by launching an invasion in Afghanistan, whose extremist government harbored Al Qaeda’s leader Osama bin Laden. -NATO forces provided military support for the rebels that overthrew Libyan leader Mu’ammar Qaddafi in 2011. -There is no realistic possibility than another world war will erupt, b/c the EU and Japan are strongly allied with the US. Russia and China don’t love us but direct military conflict seems unlikely.

Chapter 2 Different Interests of Different Countries -Interests if countries are grouped into three categories: power or security, economic or material welfare, and ideological goals. -Economic welfare (a higher standard of living) is thought of as the long-term goal, and security or power as a means to this end. Ideological goals include human equality and dignity, democracy, the glory of a particular god, etc. -States are motivated by an interest in security and accumulating power as a means to ensure security. These goals= national interests. International politics are driven by states’ quest for security and power. -States want security and power. -Politicians want reelection and policy goals to be accomplished. -Firms, industries, or business associations want wealth and profit. -States use cooperation, bargaining, coordination, and collaboration to communicate. -Cooperation=mutualism that make the actors involved better off, but may hurt other parties.

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-Bargaining=one leaves better off at the expense of another. Redistribute, allocates a fixed sum of value between different actors. Ex. two states wanting the same territory must either negotiate, impose sanctions on one another, or fight. -Successful cooperation generates gains worth bargaining over. -Coordination=actors benefit from all making the same choices, have no incentive to not comply. Ex. All cars choosing one side of the road to drive on, international pilots all speaking the same language to avoid crashing. -Producing public goods causes collaboration problems. Public goods- non excludable. If someone consumes it, it does not diminish the quality available to others. -Collective action problems arise when actors think they can enjoy public goods like clean air and water without contributing to help. Everyone thinks the other will pay to produce the good while they get to enjoy the good for free. -Each individual has an incentive to free ride by not contributing while benefiting from the efforts of others. -This is why public goods are often provided by individual governments who have the power to imprison those who try and free ride taxes. -Also why collaboration among governments on global...