POLS1201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Security Dilemma, World War I, Masculinity
Lecture 5 - 29/03 - War and Security
Causes of War:
Waltz (1959) - Man, the State, and War
three images of war:
human nature
christian view: fallen man
innate human aggressiveness, greed, etc.
Masculinity
Waltz - this does not explain periods of peace
internal structure of states
Political + religious ideology
liberalism lames illiberal states
liberal peace theory
marxism blames capitalist states - e.g. need for larger markets = expansion =
war
waltz - all states fight wars
diversionary/scapegoat theory of war
International anarchy
nothing to stop war
Self-help system
Normal feature
Waltz agrees with this level
Hidemi Suganami - On the Causes of War
rejects waltzs analysis
anarchy is a permissive condition (it can always occur), does not explain why
particular wars occur when they do
wars occur in hierarchy too - civil wars
four ingredients in any war story:
background conditions
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chance coincidence (WWI)
Mechanistic processes (e.g. security dilemma)
Government actions (acts with belligerent intent and resistance)
Security:
Problems of Security:
no universally-agreed definition
connected to how we perceive threats
State-centric Approach:
conditions of anarchy
states will maximise power relative to others
national community is paramount
Survival of state is fundamental object of security - foreigners not considered -
groupism
human nature
Self-interest driving behaviour
Necessity
idea of developing the good life is overcome by immediate needs of security and
survival - due to conditions of anarchy
Types of Threats:
military threats most important to state-centric approach
the build-up of the military + armaments is therefore key to ensuring state survival
military power + territorial control
power as capabilities, not just numbers
this can create fear and anxiety about intentions
the security dilemma: efforts to ensure security can actually spark new or further
conflict, because policies that increase security of one state can decrease the
security of others
this drives other states to act to ensure they have the same/more power
arms race
accumulation of power through increase in armaments, territorial incursions
Types of Responses:
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Document Summary
Lecture 5 - 29/03 - war and security. Waltz (1959) - man, the state, and war three images of war: human nature christian view: (cid:1684)fallen man(cid:1685) innate human aggressiveness, greed, etc. Waltz - this does not explain periods of peace internal structure of states. Political + religious ideology liberalism lames illiberal states liberal peace theory marxism blames capitalist states - e. g. need for larger markets = expansion = war waltz - all states fight wars diversionary/scapegoat theory of war. Government actions (acts with belligerent intent and resistance) Problems of security: no universally-agreed definition connected to how we perceive threats. State-centric approach: conditions of anarchy states will maximise power relative to others national community is paramount. Survival of state is fundamental object of security - foreigners not considered - (cid:1684)groupism(cid:1685) human nature. Necessity idea of developing (cid:1684)the good life(cid:1685) is overcome by immediate needs of security and survival - due to conditions of anarchy.
