International Relations & Energy

Front 1

Schools of Int'l Relations Theories

Back 1

1) Realism
2) Neo-realism
3) Liberalism
4) Neo-liberalism

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Realism

Back 2

-World is anarchic (w/o arbiter)
-Natl interest is power, Intl politics is struggle for power.
-Political policy seeks to keep power, increase power, or demonstrate power.
-Zero Sum: increase in other nation's power may add up to inferiority for ourselves, and must be avoided at all costs.
-Power both a means & end in itself

Front 3

Neo-realism

Back 3

-Intl politics is system w/precisely defined structure.
-Autonomy at state level, anarchy at structure level.
-Power a means, but not an end in itself. Power is means of survival (security).
-Power is combined capability of a state.

Front 4

Liberalism

Back 4

-Assumes harmony of interest b/w states
-Power, but NOT zero sum. Assumes positive sum (increase total output of goods)
-Intl instutions have big role in transforming intl env. to promote peace.
-Increasing interdependence will decrease risk of major economic/military conflict

Front 5

Neo-liberalism

Back 5

-Intentions more important than capabilities
-Addresses economic welfare more than natl security

Front 6

Neo-realists vs. Neo-liberals

Back 6

-NR emphasize "relative gains" in conditions of intl anarchy, which inhibits cooperation.
-NL: assume states more concerned w/absolute welfare maximization, and cooperation can therefore be learned.

Front 7

Realism & Neo-Realism, Liberalism & Neo-Liberalism on Cooperation

Back 7

Realism
-Anarchic world, w/nation-states as only major actors.
-Seeking of power makes no essential harmony of interests among nations
-Realist "GAME THEORY", based on zero sum assumption.
a) Prisoners' Dilemma (which often leads to non-cooperation and working against each other to both's detriment)
b) "Chicken"

Neo-realism
-Complex interdependence
-Cooperation only possible when "relative gains" (i'll gain more) are > "absolute gains" (we both gain)
-Intl Regime is ordered anarchy.
-Under certain restrictive conditions, intl regimes may have a sig. impact even in an anarchic world.

Liberalism
-assume harmony of interest among states.
-Interdependence b/w states will facilitate intl cooperation.
-Homogeneity of plitical/econ/social institutions will enable non-milatry resolutions & peace

Neo-Liberalism
-Assume states more concerend w/absolute welfare maximization
-Cooperation can be Learned
-Intl institutions & NON-state actors can be actors

Front 8

Energy Security

Back 8

ES: the availability of energy at all times in various forms, in sufficient quantities, at affordable (reas) cost, and acceptable env. impacts.

4 Factors:
1) Availability
2) Accessibility
3) Affordability
4) Sustainability

Front 9

Possible Threats to Security of Energy Supply

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-Threats to physical or price discontinuity
-Rise in energy price
-Disruption of energy supply

1) Short Term

-Reasons:
a) Domestic/external system failure (oil products in China not linked to world price- supply/demand problem)
b) Domestic/external political event
c) Domestic reg. failure
d) Terrorism

2) Long Term

-Reasons:
a) Shortage of infrastructure capacity
b) Shortage of resource availability
c) Env. Damage: i) excessive energy use, ii) Inappropriate fuels/techs, iii) Sabotage/Natural damage

Front 10

3 Strategies for Energy Security

Back 10

1) Reduce probability of supply disruption (long-term strategic or market)
2) Minimize impact of supply disruption or price rise (mostly strategic)
3) Sovereign choices, and how nations interact w/one another.

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Strategic Approach

Back 11

State-sponsored economic measures w/political initiatives

1) Direct govt participation in enhancing domestic energy production & in investing overseas sources of energy

2) Strategic oil stockpile

3) Energy diplomacy: foreign aid, inward investment, trade, etc.

4) Energy "weapon"

Front 12

Market Approach

Back 12

Rely on natl & intl energy markets

Seek to reduce risk of disruption by improving the efficiency of these markets.

-Methods:
1) Liberalization of domestic energy markets

2) Promotion of investment in new capacity (of prod., refining, etc.)

3) Improve flow of info.

4) Diversify sources of energy supply

5) Develop new types of energy

Front 13

Intl & Regional Markets

Back 13

1) Intl Market
-Oil: truly intl, but 60% long-term K
-Coal: very small trade
-LNG: increasingly intl & long-term K

2) Regional Market, but traded int'l across regional market
-Gas: pipelines
-Electricity: thru distribution networks

Front 14

Theories to explain underdevelopment of African economy

Back 14

1) Development Theory

2) World System Theory

3) Dependency Theory

4) Economic Dualism Theory

Front 15

Development Theory

Back 15

a) Assumptions:
-major barriers to development were posed by internal factors.
-Western "models" of development could be followed by LDCs (less developed countries).

b) Suggestion:
-wealthy countries should provide LDCs "missing components" (capital via aid/investment)

Front 16

World System Theory

Back 16

1) Assumptions: int'l division of labor

2) Explanations: LDCs supply raw mat'ls for industrially advanced countries to process, thus enabling dynamic growth on 1 pole and stagnation & impoverishment at other.

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Dependency Theory

Back 17

~Marxism

1) Assumptions: Underdevelopmt is consequence of capitalism, LDCs' external dependencies lead to internal structure that perpetuates dependency, nat'l bourgeois class allies w/foreign capitalists to exploit domestic working class.

-Shares w/Wold System Theory: capitalist at "core" of world system exploit LDCs at "periphery"

Front 18

Role of Colonialism

Back 18

1) Int'l division of labor takes adv. of colonial authority

2) Fatal effects on secondary (manufacturing) & tertiary (service) sectors

3) Traditional self-sufficient way of life destroyed

4) Indigineous pop. exploited & social differentiation increased.

Front 19

Economic Dualism Theory

Back 19

1) Assumption: 2 sectors w/in LDC economy- "modern" (capital-intensive industry w/high division of labor) and "traditional" (low capital & little division of labor).

2) Emphasizes domestic econ. policies to promote economic integration b/w 2 sectors

3) Dualism a product of colonialism. (see Role of Colonialism Card). Modern sector benefits industrial countries but little effect on internal market.

Front 20

Schools of Geopolitics

Back 20

1) Mahan

2) Mackinder

3) Spykman

4) Ratzel

5) Critical Geopolitics

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Geopolitics

Back 21

-Geopolitics:

1) examination of relationships b/w geographic space & political actions; trategic relevance of geography in pursuit of power.

2) State's geography presents opportunities to & limitations on state.

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Classical Geopolitics

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1) Size of country

2) Geographic position vis-a-vis powerful/weaker states

3) Military/tech/econ power

4) Pop. size

Front 23

Ratzel

Back 23

1) Organic State Theory:

a) states, like organisms, must grow or die.

b) Need food (space & resources).

c) State's power comes from adaptability to geo. space (LIVING SPACE)

-Nazi justification

Front 24

Mahan

Back 24

1) Sea power source of world power

2) Britain's sea power could contain Russian expansion

3) Central Asia a key region

Front 25

Mackinder

Back 25

1) Land power is as crucial as sea power.

2) Heartland (Eurasia) is Pivot Region; if control they're dominant power

3) Pivot area protected by inaccessibility from naval power, thereby sheltering land power (Russia).

Front 26

Spykman

Back 26

1) Real power of Eurasia in "Eurasian Rimland", not Heartland. Rimland are coastal zones of Eurasian Heartland (intermediary regions b/w Heartland & seas).

2) If control Rimland, rule Eurasia - and henceforth the world.

Front 27

Brzezinski

Back 27

1) Grand Chessboard: Eurasian landmass is the way to preserve US superpower- b/c biggest pop., resources, econ. activity.

Front 28

Critical Geopolitics

Back 28

1) Globalization

2) Symbolic boundaries

3) Networks/interdependence

4) Virtual environ's

5) Geographic info system