CAS IR 271 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Security Dilemma, Statism, National Power
17 Oct 2018
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Document Summary
In international system there is no central authority states need to defend themselves: security dilemma: one state seeks to improve its security, it creates insecurity in other state, no state feels safe. The belief that it is fundamentally the nature of people and the state to act in a way that places interests over ideologies. The drive for power and the will to dominate are held to be fundamental. Thucydides: power politics (conquest for power) as a law of human behavior. Human nature: fear, self-interest, honor endless struggle for power reflected on global politics. Machiavelli: ultimate skill of the state leader is to accept, adapt the changing power-political configuration in global politics. Morgenthau: politics is governed by law that is created by human nature, international politics is the concept if interests defined in terms of power. Summery: tell us about human nature and how leaders should act, power is important, baseline for a state is survival.
