President Obama’s speech stressed the importance of the theoretical tradition of liberalism in America’s view of international politics. President Obama’s ideology of international affairs can be explained using Joseph Nye’s three strands of liberal thinking, which are economic, social, and political liberalism. However, although his speech is dominated by liberalist views, his policies are the creation of intellectual pluralism and therefore his liberalist views are mixed with the theoretical tradition of constructivism. This analysis of President Obama’s speech will explain why liberalism is the dominant theoretical tradition and how the alternative theoretical tradition of constructivism has crafted some of the policies that he advocates.
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Locke’s largest contribution are his arguments that a state of nature will not necessarily become a state of war, men should not deprive each other of their rights, that there should be established and known laws, with an indifferent judge, and that there is an impartial enforcer. Kant’s greatest contribution were his definitive articles that argue that states should have a republican constitution, states should join a union for safety, and the idea of universal hospitality. These foundations eventually molded themselves into the key values of modern liberalism which are freedom, equality, and prosperity. The following paragraphs will relate President Obama’s remarks on international relations to the key values of modern liberalism through Joseph Nye’s three strands of liberalism. First, the economic strand focuses heavily on the importance of trade and the …show more content…
These choices available are constrained by causal mechanisms (domestic opinion, world opinion, and personal conviction) that force “policymakers to accept responsibility for solving conflicts rather than simply managing or exploiting them.” For example, even though the United States has nuclear capabilities, it is considered “taboo” to use them in war because of the broad internalization that they are unnecessary and too powerful. President Obama recognizes that as the world’s leading power it is his responsibility to make sure his policies are not scorned by personal, domestic, or international governments because of the social backlash it could create. President Obama’s advocacy for democracy is a direct example of this because he values the different ideas and opinions of his constituents and allies, whereas a dictator would be self-interested and ostracized by the international community. President Obama’s ideas and policies are created through social constructs and this is why an alternate view through the tradition of constructivism works for his
Locke’s largest contribution are his arguments that a state of nature will not necessarily become a state of war, men should not deprive each other of their rights, that there should be established and known laws, with an indifferent judge, and that there is an impartial enforcer. Kant’s greatest contribution were his definitive articles that argue that states should have a republican constitution, states should join a union for safety, and the idea of universal hospitality. These foundations eventually molded themselves into the key values of modern liberalism which are freedom, equality, and prosperity. The following paragraphs will relate President Obama’s remarks on international relations to the key values of modern liberalism through Joseph Nye’s three strands of liberalism. First, the economic strand focuses heavily on the importance of trade and the …show more content…
These choices available are constrained by causal mechanisms (domestic opinion, world opinion, and personal conviction) that force “policymakers to accept responsibility for solving conflicts rather than simply managing or exploiting them.” For example, even though the United States has nuclear capabilities, it is considered “taboo” to use them in war because of the broad internalization that they are unnecessary and too powerful. President Obama recognizes that as the world’s leading power it is his responsibility to make sure his policies are not scorned by personal, domestic, or international governments because of the social backlash it could create. President Obama’s advocacy for democracy is a direct example of this because he values the different ideas and opinions of his constituents and allies, whereas a dictator would be self-interested and ostracized by the international community. President Obama’s ideas and policies are created through social constructs and this is why an alternate view through the tradition of constructivism works for his