GVPT 200 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Kenneth Waltz, Neoliberalism

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

Document Summary

Neo-realism and idealism (p. 72-81: neo-realism: neorealism builds on this classical theory making anarchy the logic of the international system. In other words, the anarchy of the international system is primary, compelling states to act as self-preserving, power-seeking entities. Thus, the structure (or system) of international politics is what compels states to act in the international system. Kenneth waltz is often seen as the intellectual father of neo-realism. Neorealist scholarship came on the scene in the 1960s and became particularly influential in the 1980s and 1990s. Neo-realism is an attempt to take traditional realist logic and to make it more scientific, coherent, and parsimonious. Neo-realists attempt to simplify international relations by looking al(cid:373)ost e(cid:454)(cid:272)lusi(cid:448)el(cid:455) at the (cid:862)s(cid:455)ste(cid:373)(cid:863) le(cid:448)el; that is, the (cid:272)hara(cid:272)teristi(cid:272)s of the i(cid:374)ter(cid:374)atio(cid:374)al s(cid:455)ste(cid:373). Wh(cid:455) is this ter(cid:373) i(cid:373)porta(cid:374)t: for the purpose of developing a theory, states are cast as unitary actors wanting at least to survive, and are taken to be the system"s constituent units.