POLS 2940 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Offensive Realism, Zero-Sum Game, World Politics
11 Jan 2019
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States are always looking for opportunities to gain power. Anarchy does not mean that all states will be against each other, but when push comes to shove, the strongest states will have the most power. There are 5 assumptions about the international system that should be factored in: 1. international system is anarchic. Anarchy not associated with chaos and disorder. Underlying concept of state sovereignty: 2. They all have the military force and intellectual power to harm other states: 3. A state can never be certain of another state"s intentions. No other state can ever truly be trusted. Not all states" intentions are hostile, but they can be hostile even if they appear benign: 4. Rational vs. justified: the status quo states do not have power the great powers keep getting greater, zero sum gains. Us and canada trade treaty may benefit us more than canada.
