01:790:324 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Structural Change, Security Dilemma, Social Contract

• School: Rutgers University
• Department: Political Science
• Course: 01:790:324
• Professor: Ewan Harrison

Document Summary

Realism (international politics is struggle for power and survival) Hobbes was a 17th century philosopher during the english civil war. State of nature: theoretical condition before state exists; natural condition of mankind. + influenced by living through the civil war. Social contract: mutually agree to give up freedom to the sovereign for protection. + natural condition of mankind can be overcome. At the international level, there is no government. Therefore, hobbes says international politics remains in the state of nature, which war is the state of nature. To ensure the success and survival of state, it needs to have power. Why is there conflict in the state of nature? (p. 220) + state builds up its defense for protection and other states see it as aggressive. + escalates insecurity, making other states to build up its defense. + driven by inability to tell defensive / aggressive motivation. Conflict happens because people expected a conflict.