Anarchy in International Politics

Anarchy and Social Order

• Anarchy is a key concept in realist theories of international politics, but less prominent in liberal theories.
• Neoliberal authors also use the assumption of anarchy.
• However, neorealists and neoliberals don't necessarily agree on the meaning or consequences of anarchy.
• Anarchy is a complex and ambiguous term, often associated with chaos and disorder.
• In world politics, some order exists, even if neorealists and neoliberals disagree on its nature, extent, and causes.
• Most theorists define anarchy as the absence of government.
• This definition raises questions about what "government" entails.
• Many governmental activities have counterparts at the international level (e.g., welfare, economics, law, commerce, health, safety).
• This suggests alternative conceptions of anarchy that focus on missing governmental characteristics.
• There is not a universal agreement on the specific characteristics that define international anarchy.

Scope and Domain

• Debates on relative gains in international politics often lack precise definitions of "gains" (in capabilities).
• Power relations' causal connection typically affects behavior, attributes, beliefs, and propensities of other actors.
• To understand power, domain and scope need precise definition.
• "Country A has power" should be rephrased as "Country A causes [specific effects] with respect to [whom]."
• Specificity and clarity regarding the level of "scope" are important (e.g., "lots of things").
• The causal notion of power is rejected by some, highlighting alternatives.

Capabilities and Cooperation

• Power's definition in realist theory is controversial, with varied interpretations.
• Different theoretical approaches (neoliberal and neorealist) treat the concept of power differently.
• This can lead to different understandings of capabilities and consequences of anarchy.
• Social science research should investigate instances of social phenomena.
• Social scientists analyze social order using factors like exchange relations, threat systems, and image integration.
• These concepts are applicable to international relations.

Zero-Sum Problem

• The idea of power as zero-sum (one actor gains, another loses) is prevalent but often inaccurate,
• Zero-sum assumptions in the literature are frequently debatable.
• Power gains by one actor don't necessarily imply commensurate losses by others.
• Different examples, like international relations scenarios, illustrate that gains in one area can lead to different outcomes than conventional zero-sum theories suggest.
• This debate highlights the need for clarification when discussing and applying theories of power to international relations.

Explore the role of anarchy in realist and neoliberal theories of international relations. This quiz delves into the definitions, implications, and contrasting views on anarchy among key theorists. Test your understanding of how anarchy relates to social order on a global scale.