Question 1
- Based on Morgenthau’s article Six points of Political Realism, Do Political realists focus on absolute power or relative power at both the individual level and the international system?
Central idea to bear in mind : According to realists, the competition that characterizes the international system is due to the fact that nation-states and other state actors would like to maintain their relative power in relation to other actors in the international system.
- Based on Fourteen Points by Woodrow Wilson, what role does rationality and sovereignty play in shaping the alignment of the Central and the Allied Powers?
Central idea to bear in mind: Rationality is the ability to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of a given action. This means that an action who cost surpasses benefit is not a rational choice to make. Engaging in any war involves costs and risks. However, being involved in war might lead to long-term benefits that would not be attained by not engaging in war.
Current event
The involvement of NATO in Northern Africa, in the Arab Spring illustrates the West’s desire to expand its sphere of influence to the Arab world. Many countries in the Arab world are predominantly Muslim, and have dictatorial systems of government. Over the years, many Middle Eastern countries have been security threats to the West. The Arab Spring in Northern Africa was a policy window that would see policy entrepreneurs in the West encourage their governments to be involved in regime change in Northern Africa. However, based on the theory of rationalism, and the theory of political realism; individuals rational beings. Individuals are able to conduct a cost benefit analysis before undertaking any actions (Morgenthau, 1978, p.4). Individuals constitute the state. This means that states as actors are also rational. The engagement of the United States and other NATO member states in North Africa were based on rationality. One of the key questions that are worth looking at is some of the benefits that the nations would be able to reap from their involvement in Northern Africa. First of all, it is important to realize that many countries in NATO are great advocates of democracy (Chorin, 2013, p.1). This means that the expansion of democracy in these countries would lead to the expansion of the sphere of influence of these countries. Because democracies are based on rational choice, it is difficult for any democracy to go war with another democracy. By participating in the process of democratizing Northern Africa, NATO was aiming to alleviate security threats in the Arab world. This is because dictators are more likely to go to war because they do not care about the welfare of the people and the dire consequences that might result from war.
The involvement of NATO in the Arab Spring also intended to build new allies in the Arab world. Various involvements by Western nations in the Middle East have over the years soured the relationships between Western Nations and the Arab World. For example, the United States was involved in Iraq in 2003, an action that led to the fall of Saddam. Despite the fall of this Iraqi leader, there were no weapons of mass destruction that were discovered in the country. Therefore this was an operation that went sour. In addition the United States had been involved in the overthrow of a democratically elected leader in Iran, Mossadegh and replaced him with the Shah who was more acquiescent to the West. All these actions by Western nations have continually reduced their support base in the Arab world. Therefore, the involvement of the United States and other NATO member states was a rational choice that was meant to win the support of some of the countries in the Arab World.
References
Chorin, Ethan. "The Deeper Blame for Benghazi - NYTimes.com." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. Web. 18 May 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/opinion/the-deeper-blame-for-benghazi.html?_r=0>.
Morgenthau, H. (1978). Politics among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
