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Structural Realism - International relations 19/10/2016

In political matter, only great powers matter, even though legally in an anarchic view all states
are “equal”
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States are rational powers whose main goal is survival
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The security dilemma is very apparent in every state
because you don’t know their intentions
...
If I have MORE power you have LESS power
...


TWO SCHOOLS OF REALISM: OFFENSIVE REALISM (MODERN) AND DEFENSIVE REALISM (OLD)
Defensive realists say: you need as much power as you need to have security
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(No maximum power; yes maximum security)
...
)
Conquest pays-off
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Offensive realists say: you need as much power as possible (you’re safe when you’re the hegemon
because you never know how much power is enough)
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Don’t allow in other places for others to become the hegemon, by helping the
weaker ones
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e doesn’t want China to become regional hegemon in Asia therefore it’ll help
Japan etc
...
)
Offense-defense balance in favor of who strikes first
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Conquest does not pay-off
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What causes wars?
The answer is in the system where it tells you if a war is likely or not
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If you have many
enemies causes more misunderstandings resulting in threats, you’re not safe cause multiple
potential enemies
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Balancing is more effective
(direct confrontation)
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Security dilemma is applied
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Unipolarity – No security dilemma, hegemonic stability, no major war
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If you see one state competing for power you strike for a
war because you want to prevent someone to become a threat to you
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Challenging state: Japan attacks USA because they were becoming powerful so they attack USA to
keep their power rising
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China VS USA:
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As China grows more powerful in next 10/20 years, it will try to reach the hegemonic state it
will become a threat
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If you’re Chinese
you want to be more powerful than Russia, India and Japan because it is the best way to survive
in an anarchic system
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Our ancestors went to different lengths
to become this powerful
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If you have a choice,
remove your enemies, to establish regional hegemon and not have any threats close
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Optimistic argument: Because of simplification you leave out other factors that don’t seem
important and that’s why theories are sometimes wrong
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Other powers want to defeat you
resulting in wars
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wars are more likely to happen because a
state becomes more advanced than their competitor and can start a (nuclear) war
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