International Relations 2
LIBERALISM REALISM (January 27, 2013)
NAME
: Cornelius Susanto
NIM
: 016201200005
LIBERALISM AND REALISM International Relation is the study of how countries interact on the international stage, in which it also represents the study of foreign affairs and global issues. There are three main schools of thought; the liberals, the realists, and the constructivists, all of whom consider that the international system should be viewed through their particular lens. But mainly people divide International Relations only between liberalism and realism point of view. In which the realists and the liberalist actually pursue the same goal, which is they want the world to live in peace. But the main difference of their perspective is that how they achieve this goal. Realist, on the one hand arguing that states are generally mistrustful of each other and cooperation will be fleeting and insecure. In general context is that Realist believes on the use of force and conflict, also the main actor of realist is the state itself. At last, some realists believe that states are inherently aggressive, that territorial expansion is constrained only by opposing powers, while others believe that states are obsessed with the security and continuation of the state's existence On the other hand the view of liberalism argues that actually cooperation is possible, and through this the instability of the international system can be achieved. In which it can be stated that due to this point of view, every states can’t live independently, and every states need to respect the international law, as they are not using terms of power but terms of diplomacy and cooperation. At last it can be inferred that the actor of this point of view is not only states but also other international organizations such as NGOs, IGOs, and so on , and it can be concluded that this point of view contrast the terms of interdependence , cooperation and adherence to international laws. It can be said that realism point of view is emphasized as pessimistic because of their interest to their selves and they tend to be competitive and using the terms of power. In which the liberalism viewed as an optimistic belief because that they believe of human capability to enlighten cooperation between countries.
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF LIBERALISM AND REALISM
L I B E
Strengths
Weaknesses
Explanations
Examples
1. Liberalism
1. Liberalism
1. Liberalism is categorized as optimistic view,
1. Political entity from Middle East
point of view tends to be so optimistic.
doesn’t realize the concept of power.
2. Other states can 2. This point of
view can lead to openness between states.
intervene others domestic problem. And also not every country accepts an international intervention from other actors.
3. It believes
that it will gain less chaos and states can remain peace.
4. It is so
3. But liberalism
cannot explain too much on terrorism issue or war by fundamentalist.
because they believe that people from different countries are able to enlighten cooperation between them. But because of the belief that they use the concept of cooperation, they don’t realize the concept of power that often use by the realism, which mean that concept of power are used by every country to gain status and power.
2. Liberalism can lead to openness because of
their point of view that every people in different countries gather together to gain mutual interest even they are from different background. But the problem is that not every country accepts this statement, some of them don’t want other country to intervene their issues.
3. Because of their belief that they use the term of
cooperation, coordination, and diplomacy, such as using economic ties in which this has explained that it will bring peace to state as the
countries that make a leading international organization called Arab League, to solve some international issue, such as Civil war in Syria.
2. When China accepted the term of
openness for their country followed by the free market trade, they gained a significant economic grows. But for country such as Syria which nowadays is popularized by their civil war, they don’t want other organization such as military aid from other country to intervene their issues, and they made the civil war even worst by attacking the FSA (Free Syrian Army) crueler.
R A L I S
popular among the democratic states and gives more opportunities to other nonstate actors to upraise.
4. It can be
considered that liberalism is similar with imperialism, or in particular as a cultural imperialism.
5. Liberalism can be 5. It stresses the
possibilities for cooperation in relations between states
the downfall of the state itself.
economy costs can be allocated to something 3. Libyan Civil War that was at last else besides war, and also the ethnic minorities ended by the used of diplomacy is can freely express their idea. Rather than the now remain peace and keep realist that expect savage of power to get develop to be a better country. territory. But liberalism is often unable to But on other hand, the war by the explain many issues such as terrorism and war fundamentalist also brings that cause by the fundamentalist to convince enhancement to some countries others to believe in their point of view. In which such as when Singapore this term is actually important in molding the colonialized by the British, they history yet domestic or international, and the absorbed the value that the British liberalism can’t explain much on this because of had, such as right now Singapore they only believe on terms of diplomacy to gain uses English as their national peace in the world. language, it’s because of the colonialism of the British. 4. Because of in liberalism war is so unpopular, it
gives more chances to non-state actors as the key of international relations in which they believe that they able to overcome selfish state behavior, mainly by encouraging states to forego immediate gains for the greater benefits of enduring cooperation. But somehow this has made liberalism similar to cultural imperialism as their reliance on spreading influence without the military actors.
5. While war will never fade from the face of the
earth, the consideration of economic,
4. The uprising of Democratic Peace
Theory and some non-state actors to end some crisis, such as the work of International Monetary Fund that gives fund to some country that was in crisis.
5. The impact of the intervention
from the economic entities is that it can erase the barriers between states. In which this could bring possibility for some cooperation
environmental, societal, and technological issues and the promotion of shared interests between states, may lead to increased cooperation and a reduction in the haste of states to use war as a method for achieving international objectives. But in other hand the problem of liberalism is that liberals tend to be too optimistic and tend to place too much faith in humans, in which this can lead to the role of actor on the international scene is increasingly becoming the role of the multinational cooperation. And the barriers between states become fall.
M
R E
1. Realism
gives more benefits for their state itself
1. Realism tends to
be a pessimistic in their point of view.
2. The realists 2. It can
respond the newest international issue fast.
appear to be so preoccupied by the state
to gain political benefit with an economic as their distraction. For instance: The work of Shell in Nigeria to gain their oil resource, BMW and Range Rover that obtain money from the Britain government are expanding their corporation for political reason.
1. As we know that the theory of realism is driven
1. The colonialism by the Dutch has
by the competitive self-interest. In which it is because of the main actor of realism is state itself without concerning other non-state actors. That’s why the theory of realism often uses the term of power (using war) to gain status and prosperity for their state. But this has made the view of realism is categorize as a pessimistic point of view, because they only believe in selfinterest and don’t believe in cooperation between people as the liberalists do.
brought much benefit for themselves, as they gain many natural resources that they don’t have from the colonized countries. Also it brought the expansion of their beliefs and territories back in the day. But back in that day, The Dutch also gained some enemies because they didn’t agree with the term of cooperation.
2. It is because realism provides an easily
understood approach for examining the
2. Unlike the liberalism, realists are
A L I S
3. It can make some
3. The terms of
power, particularly by using war, it can lead to discourage world for great science achievement.
4. It is very
good when engaging with powerful states
5. Term of war
by fundamentali
chaos and some country especially the suppressed one lead into unharmony situation.
behavior of states in the conduct of their international relations. Realism accurately portrays the struggles of states for power and dominance, and ultimately for self-preservation. But in other hand the realism point of view ignore other actors and other issues that are not directly related to state security and the idea of balance of power is rather vague.
able to explain stuffs like terrorism and war by fundamentalist because they believe in the term of states gaining power without the influence of non-state actors.
3. The Second World War gave us
4. It gives the
statement that most realism point of view is trapped by the “revenge” in the past.
5. This term could
be misuse by some entity and produces chaos for everyone including themselves.
3. Because of the competitive feeling that is made
the nuclear bomb and the first computers. Later diplomatic developments such as the cold war led to innovations such as space flight in a bid to stay ahead of the opposing side.
by each states due to the realism point of view, in the same time they will compete each other to enhance the prosperity of their states by inventing great achievement that later on can be useful by everyone. But of course this following statement has made some suppressed country fell into chaos due to the war. 4. Superpowers countries like the United States and the Soviet Union remain to be an “enemy”, 4. Realism is very beneficial for those super due to the competition that they power countries, because they can express made. themselves on their own terms, seeing the world from their perspective and focusing on the conflicts and crises. In which realism is much 5. Some war by the fundamentalist related to the term of national interest that these such as the colonialism by the countries can fulfill their national interest. But Dutch, British, and so on has this has made these competing super power bring good impact for the countries remain in past and compete each other
M
st is very effective for the realists.
to finish their “revenge� and even could cause the term of war by proxy.
5. Due to the realism point of view, it is very
beneficial for some entities to influence other people to join their perspective view to some issues, because as the main point of realism to gain peace by using balance of power, it also gives a plus for those fundamentalists as they pursue the same goal, to gain balance through their fundamental view. But for some people, they misuse it and use the term that we know as terrorism to influence other, in which this bring terrors and chaos for all of us. And perhaps, most importantly realism has, on the face of it, little to say about the current "war on terror," which involves states on one side but non-state terrorist groups on the other.
suppressed countries in their future for their development, but the act such as the terrorism of World Trade Center that happened in 9/11/2001 has brought terror to everyone, in which this terrorism brought chaos not only for the people that they adjust to terror, but also for their kind. In which since that issue, many people categorize Islamic person as a terrorist in the US, whereas not every of them are terrorist, but because of this issue people tend to think that way.
LIBERALISM
HOW DOES IT SOLVE THE GLOBAL PROBLEMS? As we know, Liberalist point of view tends to be so optimistic, in which they believe that people from different countries could gather together and solve international issues with cooperation, coordination and diplomacy. This has made them characterized as an optimistic view as they believe to enlighten cooperation such as enhancing economic ties instead of using the term of power or in particular as war. This view has been the way how liberalism can solve the international problem, in which the actor that could participate in ending problem is not only state actor but also non state actor such as IGOs, NGOs, and so on. And it gives more openness to the governmental system as even they are from different background; they pursue the same mutual interest. Besides that liberalism is also believed that it will give solution to the global issue whereas it reduces the chaos due to their concept of diplomacy to keep states remain peace without the use of war. In which this has given possibilities between states to cooperate each other that leads into enhancement of cooperation and a reduction in the haste of states to use war as a method for achieving international objectives such as solving global issue. And it is very clear that Liberalism could solve the global issues.
HOW DOES IT WORSEN THE GLOBAL PROBLEMS? But as there’s no perfection in this world, so does liberalism. Somehow the aspect that build liberalism point of view also could worsen the condition of global issue. Due to the condition that liberalism doesn’t compromise with the concept of power, they can’t freely express their idea to explain the issue of terrorism and war by fundamentalist, in which this could worsen the situation of the global issue because these fundamental issues are the one that in charge to mold history and enhancement of state status. Somehow without this aspect, the liberalism can’t freely give much impact to their state’s self-interest, in which this lead to the beginning of ruination of states, because of due to the point of view of liberalism that barely delete the barrier between states, it could make states intervene other state’s sakes and lead to the downfall of state itself. And even worse this could bring bad impact to global issues and make liberalism ineffective to solve the problems.
REALISM
HOW DOES IT SOLVE THE GLOBAL PROBLEMS? Realism as the point of view that use the concept of power to gain prosperity for their state, gives more benefits for the state itself as they use state as the only actor for solving the international issue, they prioritize their self-interest or known as national interest. Their point of view also bring a fast respond to the newest international issues because the realism provides an easily understood approach for examining the behavior of states in the conduct of their international relations. Realism accurately portrays the struggles of states for power and dominance, and ultimately for self-preservation. In which this aspect barely gives opportunities for the realist to solve the global problem. Also the strength that the realists have due to the term of war by some entities that want to persuade other or known as fundamentalists could bring solution to the global issues as they pursue the balance of power. And in addition, because of the term of power that the realism use, each states tend to be so competitive to each other and it makes them enhancing the prosperity of their states by inventing great achievement that later on this also could bring impact to international system and even help to solve the global issues, such as the invention of great science achievement by the war.
HOW DOES IT WORSEN THE GLOBAL PROBLEMS? Besides that the realism has so much strength that could bring solution for the global issues, in the other hand the pessimistic view that the realism only use the term of power and doesn’t believe in the term of cooperation, somehow could bring chaos for the international system. In which the use of power (such as war) are so exaggerated and bring bad impact to some states or even worse the damage for the world. This issue also strengthens by the view that ignores other actors and other issues that are not directly related to state security and the idea of balance of power is rather vague. Also, due to the main view of the realism that they prioritize the self-interest, could bring so much selfishness for the state itself, and only deal with term of power (war) that could bring benefits for them. In fact those statements above could bring bad impact and make the global condition become worse. And in addition, somehow the term war by fundamentalist that should bring effectiveness for the realists to pursue prosperity could be misused by some entity, in which such as the act of terrorism that is really worsen the global issue and cause chaos everywhere.
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