Political Science 2231E Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Kenneth Waltz, Billiard Ball, John Mearsheimer
27 Dec 2018
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Document Summary
Structure of international system determines state agency (doing) Status quo states: like system - benefit most (usa) Revisionist states: change system = benefit least (iran) Polarity: distribution of concentration of power in international system. Ratio of relatively equal power capabilities between states or alliances. Coalition of states to counter balance power of one state (or states) to prevent domination or take over. 1945 to now : nukes - states with nukes have most power and most important. Billiard ball analogy - states bouncing against each other (bounded system) Deterrence: other side threatened with retaliation or annihilation if attacked. Cold war = equilibrium = no major power war. Defender states = upper hand -> specific area to defend. Italy, germany, japan tired to take coloniesww1 -> defeated by the other states in. Imperial states = crumble (england, france, etc. ) Seek out and seize opportunities to get mote power.
