GOV 120 Lecture Notes - Lecture 26: Grand Strategy, Collective Security, Liberal Internationalism
Jack Warner
Government 120 - American Government
Lectures
Fall 2017
GE
Selective Engagement (aka Offshore Balancing)
○ Goal is to better align capacities and interests. Both are limited.
■ Logic:
● American interests abroad are still global but not unconstrained.
● American power has limits.
● US must prioritize its interests and bring them in line with
capacity.
● US must partner with regional powers
■ Critique: offshore balancing is difficult to execute
○ Mindful of the limits of American power – can sometimes be mistakenly
characterized as isolationism
■ 2 key differences:
● 1. Acknowledges and embraces the US’s global position as a
superpower and the global perks that come with it more than
isolationists.
● 2. Much more willing to participate in diplomacy with other
Nations – would be considered “entanglements” from isolationists.
■ Isolationists do not want to be part of international organizations such as
NATO, but those are central to selective engagement.
○ Balancing Behavior – ways to keep any one State (other than the US) from
holding too much concentration of power.
■ Blocks the growth of power of other States in the international system.
■ Meant to make sure no great power dominated in the Europe/Asia
continents.
● Liberal Internationalism (Establishing a liberal international order)
○ Use military power and international institutions to pursue a liberal international
order.
■ § Main objective is to achieve security for the US by using multilateral
means.
○ ‘Liberal’ Definition: an emphasis on free and fair elections, individual rights and
freedom (e.g. freedom of speech, religion, civil rights and equality), and private
property in a free market economy.
■ Both democrats and republicans are liberal based on this use of the word.
○ History: Was created as a reaction against authoritarian monarchies and feudal
systems which were based on hereditary privilege.
○ Logic:
■ American threats abroad are global
● Sees American national and security interests as global and
expansive rather than narrow.
Document Summary
Goal is to better align capacities and interests. American interests abroad are still global but not unconstrained. Us must prioritize its interests and bring them in line with capacity. Critique: offshore balancing is difficult to execute. Mindful of the limits of american power can sometimes be mistakenly characterized as isolationism. Acknowledges and embraces the us"s global position as a superpower and the global perks that come with it more than isolationists. Much more willing to participate in diplomacy with other. Nations would be considered entanglements from isolationists. Isolationists do not want to be part of international organizations such as. Nato, but those are central to selective engagement. Balancing behavior ways to keep any one state (other than the us) from holding too much concentration of power. Blocks the growth of power of other states in the international system. Meant to make sure no great power dominated in the europe/asia. Liberal internationalism (establishing a liberal international order) continents.
