Realists vs Liberals

• Immanuel Kant


  Harmony between states is achievable and desirable
• Kantian triangle


  • Democracy > IGOs > Trade
• Woodrow Wilson


  • 14 points – self determination (anti Imperialism)
  • League of Nations – IGOs and world government as desirable
• Robert Keohane


  Complex interdependence (link to Kantian triangle)
• Francis Fukuyama


  "End of History" – end of ideological conflict
• Rationalism


  • Human nature is fixed
  • Humans work better in partnerships and therefore so do states. International cooperation is possible and desirable
• Realism


  • Selfish human nature > selfish states – focus on their own national interest
  • Inevitability of conflict
  • Every state is a possible threat
  • Strong, well defended borders are crucial
  • Hard power (military power) is the most important form of power
  • States use IGOs to advance national interest
  • State sovereignty is absolute and inviolable
• Liberalism


  • Optimistic about human nature which they see as rational and altruistic
  • Conflict is avoidable
  • IGOs as a key way of avoiding conflict
  • Complex interdependence also helps avoid conflict e.g., economic interdependence
  • Power sharing = stability
  • Soft power is also significant
  • Importance of economic power
  • IGOs as crucial to keeping world order
  • IGOs as an important source of international law
  • IGOs as a forum to resolve disputes
  • IGOs as a way of deepening economic integration
  • Sovereignty can be pooled
  • Sovereignty should be violated to protect principles like human rights
• Realism


  Conflict is an unavoidable feature of global politics.
• Liberalism


  Conflict in global politics can be managed and made to prevent through cooperation and international institutions.
• Anarchical Society


  Realist concept - There is no world government therefore states are free to pursue their own self-interest.

  • States will only use IGOs to pursue their national interest (Westphalian model State sovereignty supersedes everything)
  • States will inevitable clash (connects to Hobbes' idea of the state of nature)
  • This leads to the security dilemma of states misreading other's states intentions and increasing military stockpiles
• Society of states


  A merger of the two key theories. States recognise that there are mutual benefits to working together (R2P, International law) but these are based on norms and values so states are able to ignore these agreements, which as realists state they will frequently do so if it is their own self-interest. The power to do this varies according to nation-state.
• John Locke

  Human beings are rational therefore states are rational.

  
  

  Social contract theory: Human beings give up freedom. States give up power to IGOs

  
  

  Laissez-faire economics: Locke believes that states should have no involvement in the market. Liberals are committed to economic IGOs that promote neo-liberal values.