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Old Thursday, April 16, 2015
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Post Why is there conflict & cooperation in International Politics?

Why is there conflict & cooperation in International Politics?


The world we live in always seems to contain wars and conflicts. Just by looking back over 100 years, history is filled with major wars like the two World Wars, Cold War and more recently The Afghan and Iraq War. Despite the fact that people always talk about the need for peace, the world is instead filled with fear and constant security threats. Since the First World War many theorists and political scientists have tried to come up with a solution on how to create a peaceful international environment but with no real achievement. This leads to a natural conclusion that there are certain obstacles that prevent cooperation between states. Thus, it is necessary to look at some present theories that suggest they have the answer to why cooperation is so hard to accomplish.
Firstly, we look at the realist theory and explain what points it suggested to spell out threats to security and peace and the reason for conflict. Secondly, we will illustrate what liberals think about cooperation. The debate between realist and liberalist theories has been going on for many years now, almost since the end of the First World War. Each theory will offer its on view. Both of these theories will give the answer of so simple a question, why is there conflict and cooperation in International Politics? Before this, we will explain different theories it is essential to illustrate what cooperation actually means. Scholars have summarised cooperation as
“when actors adjust their behaviour to the actual or anticipated preferences of others, through a process of policy coordination.”
Cooperation basically should lead to rewards for all states, not necessarily equal rewards, but everyone should benefit. Competition or conflict on the other hand is
“-goal seeking behaviour that strives to reduce the gains available to others or to impede their want-satisfaction.”
Cooperation can be between two states or a multiple number of states. The same applies to conflict.
Realists believe they can provide the best explanation on why cooperation is so complicated to achieve. Realism is the most dominant theory and has been so since the end of the Second World War. Realism divides into three parts: classical realism, neo-realism and neo-classical realism. The classical realists are more concerned with human nature. They believe that people in general are selfish and aggressive. The main actors of the international system, the states, are guided by this and essentially war is inevitable. Neo-realists are more concerned with the distribution of power and the international system. The international system lacks a sovereign authority that can make and enforce binding agreements. That’s why it is difficult for states to cooperate with each other due to absence of such authority. This point is further maximised by realists that the state’s main goal is power maximisation and security. So with no world authority to keep an eye on those power seeking states, it is a no surprise that realists see international relations as a constant battle and a struggle for survival. Even if some states are not trying to increase their power and are happy with the way things are, still their arouse a distrust among them. Thus all the states want to acquire much ability in order to compete with their opponent state by increasing their military capabilities and making allies with other states. This in turn leads to a different realist concept- the security dilemma.
“Your security is my insecurity & your insecurity is my security.”
So if one state sees another state suddenly increase its military power it will assume that it is about to attack even if that might not be the case. The state that thinks it is under threat will have to increase its military power too which in turn will alarm the original state and this process could continue for a long time. According to realists, it’s a permanent process and this anarchical system of International Relations would continue for a long period of time and dominance would not allow any cooperation in such a chaotic world. It is a never ending situation which is in fact why realists believe cooperation is not only difficult to achieve, but mostly impossible. Security dilemma happens because of fear between states. Many of these states experience a lack of contact between each other which eventually leads to a lack of trust. A current example of the security dilemma is between India and Pakistan. Even if states do agree on some laws and arms agreements, there is nothing to stop one of them breaking the agreement or cheating . Relative advantage of state do not allow them to cooperate with each other. Their mistrust upon each other does not allow them to believe on mutuality of interests.
Liberalism was born just after the end of the First World War. Liberal theory suffered a major blow when the Second World War broke out . The reason why liberal view became more popular after the Cold War is because states started to adopt international laws, arms control, the roles of international organisations became much greater and the desire for democracy in a lot of states started taking place. Unlike classical realists, liberals believe human nature is good and transient. Their main assumption is that war is not inevitable and there is much more potential to cooperation if the anarchical conditions are reduced. Overall global change is possible. The main obstacle to cooperation for liberalists is simple: not enough international institutions. According to idealists if the world were to create international organizations which promote peaceful change, disarmament and international laws, cooperation would be much easier to achieve. If necessary these international organizations can use enforcement on states. States which are bound by rules and norms created by the institutions will have no choice but to cooperate. In a globalised environment in which the international system is now tied in, new actors like transnational corporations and non-governmental organizations will facilitate interdependence and integration between states which in turn will lead to peaceful international environment. Another obstacle to cooperation according to liberals is a massive democratic deficit at the global level. Liberalists believe that democratic states act peacefully towards one another and most conflicts and threats in the world come from the non-liberal states. e.g., Western European states have not been in war with each other since the end of the Second World War. It is possible that after the horrors of that World War, democratic states never want to experience it again. Another explanation could be that liberal states simply realise that cooperating with other counties is beneficial for them. It is particularly valuable economically especially in a globalised world and a free trade system. So in order for cooperation to work, the international system needs to be filled with democratic states with open markets and institutions like the EU to facilitate security. It is necessary to point out that liberalists agree with realist theory on anarchy, balance of power and self-help international system. The difference is that liberals suggest institutions and democratic states will be able to deal with such obstacles and cooperation will come naturally.
After looking at the debate between the two main theories of international relations, it has been illustrated that there are number of main obstacles to cooperation provided by their assumptions. To summarise, realists believe that natural human aggression which is absorbed by individual states existing in an anarchical international system can encourage them to seek power and distrust other states which will make cooperation very difficult to achieve. States are also more concerned with relative gains rather than absolute gains. Liberalists acknowledge the above points made by realists but believe that the main obstacles are the lack of international institutions which provide international law, encourage disarmament and integrate states closer. Lack of democratic and liberal states is also an impediment to cooperation between states.
Finally, realists and liberalists have shown a wide horizon to display the reason for such a conflict and cooperation which prevails over International Politics. The conflict between different states is primarily because states define national interest in terms of power. International politics is based in interests rather then on interactions or negotiations. Value free aspect is prevailing trend for such a conflict to be arise. States try to create balance of power and thus were trying to each other objectives. One state lays down the rules of interaction for another, which leads to dominance. A sphere of influence is generated. International cooperation is not possible because states are essentially looking for relative gain. On the other hand, cooperation can be achieved through democracy and free market economy. It is the peace and prosperity we are linked with each other. Cooperation comes only through such liberalist states who believe on natural harmony of interest. Collective Security principle is also the leading principle for such a cooperation in modern times. Process of cooperation also creates interdependence, which leads to peace an in peace, there will be no insecurity. There will be no relative advantage, but absolute gain only.
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