INTS10001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: World-Systems Theory, Jean Bodin, Social Contract
26 Jun 2018
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INTS10001 – The Evolution of International Relations
Evolution of the Balance of Power
State relations create an equilibrium of different forms of power (military, economic) to
hinder state domination within a region
E.g. European response to Napoleonic wars; Western allies’ response to Nazi Germany
LIMITATION: does not recognise whether states are enemies (hence does not
acknowledge the complexity of state relations)
-Treaty of Westphalia:
o‘Balance of power’ emerges after the Thirty Years War in Europe
oEstablishment of diplomatic immunity
oEurope now consisted of separate sovereign states (no overarching
sovereign)
-Napoleonic Wars & the Concert of Europe:
oNapoleonic France attempts to spread influence across Europe
oEuropean states subsequently form alliances to limit this power
oEnd of war results in ‘Concert of Europe’ balance of power spread among
the different sovereign states
Theories of sovereignty:
The Six Books of the Commonwealth 1576 – Jean Bodin
-Sovereignty embodied by an absolute sovereign who is only accountable to God
Leviathan – Thomas Hobbes
-Absolute power instilled in the sovereign
-For state security, citizens/subjects in exchange give up rights
The Social contract – Rousseau
-Sovereign rule by the people
The East Asian International System:
-Characterised by hierarchy (e.g. China’s Qing Dynasty)
-No balance of power
-China perceived themselves to be the centre of this international system
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Document Summary
State relations create an equilibrium of different forms of power (military, economic) to hinder state domination within a region. European response to napoleonic wars; western allies" response to nazi germany. Limitation: does not recognise whether states are enemies (hence does not acknowledge the complexity of state relations) Treaty of westphalia: balance of power" emerges after the thirty years war in europe, establishment of diplomatic immunity, europe now consisted of separate sovereign states (no overarching sovereign) The six books of the commonwealth 1576 jean bodin. Sovereignty embodied by an absolute sovereign who is only accountable to god. For state security, citizens/subjects in exchange give up rights. China perceived themselves to be the centre of this international system. East asian international system characterised by clearly defined, independent states, but states not equal in power or status. Transition to capitalism changed human material production and hence created material wealth for states. Land wealth money wealth: influence of transition on international politics:
