Chapter 1: The International System

1.1: The International System
  • Goal: Identify the primary components of social systems and describe how they might interact to produce outcomes in the international system
  •  All systems are comprised of Actors and Structures 
    • Actors can be individuals or a group of people who share common purpose or collective identity. Their behavior is purposeful, and set towards so sort of goal
      • The most prominent actors are states, firms, and international organizations
    • Structure refers to properties/arrangements that connect and order the actors in a system
      • Components of structure generally possess some influence of most actors often by rewarding or penalizing certain behaviors
      • Shapes how people/states interact
      • Rules and Influcences of power direct the behavior of others, approve new laws, and important foreign policy
  • The United Nations grants 5 States (known as P5States or UN Security Council) {China, France, Russia, UK, and US}
    • Are able to veto any resolution with a single vote
  • The individual choices are set partly by the attributes of an actor
    • Think of any outcome as the influences of both actors and structure
  • Structural Constraints [Laws]
    • Shape the individual behavior by designating the range of permissible action and subsequent costs of any violation of them
  • Systems posses 2 Important Characteristics
    • Connections among components of a system can cause the behavior of 2 actors to reverberate and influence the choices of others
    • Cannot often understand political and economic outcomes within an international system by solely examining properties of components of actors that are within the system
1.2: Prominent Actors in International Relations
  • ​Goal: Define most prominent actors in international systems, and differentiates actors based on their interests & capabilities. 
  • Most important actors are states
    • States are a collection of political officials: president, bureaucratic agencies, ect.
      • Responsible for regulating political, social, and economic interactions of its citizens
    • Territorial Jurisdiction
  • Two Main Attributes of States
    • National Interests
      • Broad Political, economical, and social goals that motivate policies purposed by government
      • Interests of a state are generally a reaction of mixtures of internal and external pressures of the state
    • Capabilities
      • In order for a state to realize its abilities, depends on its capabilities
      • National Income, size of military, and population
        • Great Powers
          • Posses disproportionately more Economic & Military resources than any other states
  • Political Parties have a range of roles in determining national interests based on a significant portion of the population
  • International Organizations (IOs)
    • Regulate international trade, coordinate joint military missions, regulate international trade
  • Multinational Considerations (MNCs)
    • Help transfer capital from economics that are wealthy to poorer ones
      • Example: JP Morgan Chase has $2.5 Trillion in assets, they have strong influence by threatening relocation
  • Transnational Activists
    • Coordinate and Provide aid in the midst of natural disasters, support refugees, ect.
    • Activists are mobilized and coordinated through Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
      • Focus on Moral concern rather than economically
1.3: Structure in International Systems
  • ​2 Attributes to Categorize Types of Structure
    • Importance of Material/Ideational Components
      • Material or Focus on Physical Factors
        • Example: Distribution of Military Power/Wealth
      • Ideational 
        • Meaning from the association of performing a task of having an objective and extracting meaning from it
    • Constrain vs. Constitutes
      • Structure either Constrains or Constitutes the behavior of individuals or governments
      • Hegemon is the most powerful state in the international system
1.4: Strategic Dependence and the Challenges of Cooperating Under Anarchy
  • ​The relative absence of Political authority over states can shape how states interact
  • Anarchy threatens the cooperation by increasing challenges associated with enforcing
  • Strategic Dependence = "Prisoners Dilemma"
    • Best to cooperate, than to make individual decisions without the concern for all
1.5: Thinking Systemically About The Iran Nuclear Accords
  • ​What factors helped the United States and Iran reach an agreement to Halt Iran's Nuclear Weapons?
    • Iran wanted Nuclear Weapons for national security and regional political influence
      • Saw US Presence in Iraq and through of a Nuclear Deterrent
    • US thought Nuclear growth would enlarge Iran and would aid terrorist organizations, and challenge US influence in the region
  • Why did the agreement fall apart just 3 years later?
    • Actors: P5+1, EU, Iran
    • Structure: Concentration of Wealth in Global Economy
    • Outcomes:
      • Iran Nuclear Accord, 2015
      • US Withdrawal, 2018