The Theories of World Politics - Essay Example

191149 Charles Kegley, Jr World Politics: trend and Transformation (11th ed What are some of the theories of world politics? Which do you think is the truest and why? The 5 theories to be discussed are: 1- Realism 2- Neorealism 3- Liberalism 4- Neoliberalism 5- Constructivism Realism could certainly be regarded as being the oldest of the five theories of contemporary world politics. Perhaps it could plausibly argued that politicians and the governments of nation states have overwhelmingly being realists in their approaches to world politics. They have tended to view events from a realist perspective, even if they have not thought about how they actually make their foreign policy decisions. The basic concepts of the realism school could be accurately traced back to Ancient Greece in general, and to the political writings of Thucydides in particular. After the Ancient Greeks there was little attempt to how world politics work. The concepts of realism were greatly expanded by Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes to become very influential amongst people that are attempting to understand and evaluate world politics. The main aspects of the realism school are that nation states are the most important components within the contemporary international system, and that the objective of each nation state is to gain the most from that system by making realistic as well as rational foreign policy decisions. Realism stresses that nation states compete with each other to gain the most amount of power through the most effective diplomatic or military means. The nation states that are the best at using diplomacy and the threat of military force are the ones that should gain the most power and wealth from the international system. Neorealism is a theory of world politics that was developed from realism. Neorealism still contends that the nation state is the main basis for the international system. However, unlike realism the concept of Neorealism contends that nation states are influenced and possibly shaped by the international system, rather than just by the relationships between each other. Neorealism owes most of its concepts and also its arguments to the work of Waltz. It was Waltz and others that developed the notion of Neorealism to make up for the events and the organisations that realism either did not explain at all or only partially explained. Neorealism was designed in order to explain the formation of organisations such as the UN, the EU, and GATT in which nation states co-operate with each other, for their mutual benefits, actions that realism had failed to predict and could not adequately explain. Neorealism claims that non-governmental organisations have an influence over the international system that has weakened the primary position of the nation state without displacing that position to any great degree. Liberalism has proved to be one of the most important of theories of world politics. The ideals of liberalism have their roots in the 17th century with the work of John Locke. Liberalism takes a pessimistic view of human nature than both realism and Neorealism. Liberalism has an essentially positive view of human nature and the intention nation states have towards each other. Britain and most notably by the USA spread the concepts of liberalism in the international system. The British and the Americans believed that the spread of liberalism would make the world a safer as well as a richer place. Liberalism advocates the adoption of free trade economics and liberal democracy within every nation state. Free trade economics is believed to generate greater amounts of wealth, whilst nation states that are liberal democracies are assumed to be more peaceful than authoritarian or socialist nation states. Liberalism is more likely to promote and recognise the existence of non-governmental organisations than realism or Neorealism does. Liberalism would recognise that any organisations that promote economic prosperity, or that actively enhance international security are certainly good things, as they encourage further global economic and political development. Liberalism does not have a set boundary between the roles as well as the importance of nation states and non-governmental organisations in relation to the contemporary international system. Neoliberalism criticises realism and neorealism to a greater extent than liberalism does. Neoliberalism contends that international security relies on more than just the military and economic balance of power between nation states as realists do and neorealists have generally argued. Indeed different variations of liberalism have put forward differing determining factors that have influenced and have arguably shaped world politics as they are in the contemporary international system. Unlike realism and also neorealism, neoliberalism acknowledges that non-governmental organisations, multinational corporations, and intergovernmental bodies can have an important function within the contemporary international system. Indeed organisations such as the EU and the UN are able in certain circumstances are able to bring order and increase stability within the international system. It is ironic that neoliberalism has been most strongly advocated by right wing politicians and parties, yet non-governmental organisations, intergovernmental bodies, and multinational organisations have arguably reduced the sovereignty of nation states. That reduction in sovereignty has varied in depth and scope from country to country, with the weakest and the poorest countries losing the most control of their own government. Neoliberalism has been argued to lead to a reduction of government roles within the conduct as well as the formation of domestic and foreign policies. Constructivism is a theory of world politics that argues the best way to achieve a stable as well as a peaceful international system is through the large scale global co-operation of nation states, non-governmental organisations, intergovernmental bodies, and multinational corporations. The supporters of constructivism contend that the international system could be more stable if all the nation states were actively prepared to co-operate with each other in a constructive way, either through bilateral arrangements, or via non-governmental organisations and intergovernmental bodies. Constructivists have argued that the world has generally got more stable since 1945, mainly because of the influence of non-governmental organisations, as well as intergovernmental bodies such as the Un and the EU. These organisations have demonstrated the value of constructive co-operation for the member nation states that have worked with each other. The more constructive co-operation within the international system, the better the chances are for peace, stability, and improved levels of prosperity. Constructivism contends that non-governmental organisations are important in the improving the co-operation between nation states. The theory of world politics that I personally find most convincing in describing the present international system is neoliberalism. Thus neoliberalism is a truer means of understanding contemporary world politics as it more accurately evaluates the international system than realism, neorealism, liberalism, and constructivism. Neoliberalism appears to be more adaptable to the present situation than the other world politics theories, as it gives a wider perspective upon all the factors which are capable of influencing, shaping, and changing the international system. Read More