GVPT 200 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Security Dilemma, Geopolitics

• School: University of Maryland
• Department: Government and Politics
• Course: GVPT 200
• Professor: Calvert Jones

Document Summary

Ealis(cid:373) (cid:373)a(cid:455) (cid:271)e (cid:272)o(cid:374)trasted (cid:449)ith (cid:858)idealis(cid:373),(cid:863) (cid:449)hi(cid:272)h is ofte(cid:374) asso(cid:272)iated (cid:449)ith woodro(cid:449) wilso(cid:374) and early-20th-century attempts to establish the league of nations after world war i. Few people (cid:449)ould (cid:272)o(cid:374)sider the(cid:373)sel(cid:448)es (cid:862)idealists(cid:863) (cid:374)o(cid:449), si(cid:374)(cid:272)e the ter(cid:373) has (cid:373)ore of a histori(cid:272)al meaning. 38-51) focuses almost exclusively on the issue of power, which is central to realism. Why is power so important to realists: ealists ha(cid:448)e a (cid:374)egati(cid:448)e (cid:448)ie(cid:449) of hu(cid:373)a(cid:374)s a(cid:374)d hu(cid:373)a(cid:374) (cid:374)ature, so (cid:449)ithout for(cid:373) of go(cid:448)(cid:859)t it would be a free-for-all. Therefore, power is a form of staying on top: foundation: principle of dominance. What is the (cid:271)est (cid:449)a(cid:455) to (cid:373)easure a(cid:374) a(cid:272)tor(cid:859)s po(cid:449)er: a(cid:272)tor(cid:859)s a(cid:271)ilit(cid:455) to i(cid:374)flue(cid:374)(cid:272)e others. But po(cid:449)er is also (cid:373)easured i(cid:374) (cid:272)apa(cid:271)ilities (cid:894)(cid:373)ilitar(cid:455), How can power be neutralized or checked: balance of power: the general concept of o(cid:374)e or (cid:373)ore states(cid:859) po(cid:449)er (cid:271)ei(cid:374)g used to balance that of another state or group of states.