POL 3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Bandwagoning, Security Dilemma, Preemptive War
17 Nov 2018
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Key assumptions: states units) are rational actors are the principal actors in the international system are unitary actors (coherent, anarchy defines the international system, force. Implications: constant threat of war/invasion, states main interest (goal) = state security. To achieve goal (security), states need to gain power: states worry about relative gains more than absolute gains . Example 1: choice 1: i get and you get my absolute gain = my relative gain = Example 2: choice 1: i get and you lose my absolute gain = my relative gain = __? if i care about relative gains, i would pick. Example 3: choice 1: i get and you get my absolute gain = my relative gain = if i care. Preemptive war = other state has power to attack you and to make sure that they don"t get you, you attack first. Preventative war = other state is growing in power.
