State Is the Most Important Actor in World Politics
The State is the Most
Important Actor in World Politics
Introduction In the modern tumultuous world of politics, nation states were and still are very crucial players. Whether they are the most important actors or not is the pivotal point of this essay. The point has been discussed with reference to two paradigms of international relations theories namely realism and liberalism. There are several strands of these two theories but arguments have been built on focusing the common assumptions of each theory. Arguments have been illustrated by citing international events that occurred in the recent Arab uprising. Besides, examples from other international affairs involving the United States (US), the European Union (EU) and other international alliances have been cited in order to provide a broader perspective to the topic. The discussion reveals that despite their varying degree of state centricity both realism and liberalism generally see states as the central players in international affairs
Realist Paradigm One of the original propositions of realism is that Sovereign states are the principal actors in world politics (Alexander Moseley, 2001). The most discussed issues in current world politics are all between nation states or within a sovereign state. The crisis in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia and other Middle East states and talks about economic measures within the EU states bear testimony to this fact. Realism also holds that special attention is afforded to large state powers as they have the most influence on the international stage (Doyle, 1997). That explains why US intervention is expected to solve crisis in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia and other Middle East states. Thus, Saudi Arabia unexpectedly withdrew its embassy from Syria following the US call for ousting the Syrian autocratic regime (Telegraph, 11 August 2011). For the same reason EU states are counting on France and Germany for paving a way-out to the
Important Actor in World Politics
Introduction In the modern tumultuous world of politics, nation states were and still are very crucial players. Whether they are the most important actors or not is the pivotal point of this essay. The point has been discussed with reference to two paradigms of international relations theories namely realism and liberalism. There are several strands of these two theories but arguments have been built on focusing the common assumptions of each theory. Arguments have been illustrated by citing international events that occurred in the recent Arab uprising. Besides, examples from other international affairs involving the United States (US), the European Union (EU) and other international alliances have been cited in order to provide a broader perspective to the topic. The discussion reveals that despite their varying degree of state centricity both realism and liberalism generally see states as the central players in international affairs
Realist Paradigm One of the original propositions of realism is that Sovereign states are the principal actors in world politics (Alexander Moseley, 2001). The most discussed issues in current world politics are all between nation states or within a sovereign state. The crisis in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia and other Middle East states and talks about economic measures within the EU states bear testimony to this fact. Realism also holds that special attention is afforded to large state powers as they have the most influence on the international stage (Doyle, 1997). That explains why US intervention is expected to solve crisis in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia and other Middle East states. Thus, Saudi Arabia unexpectedly withdrew its embassy from Syria following the US call for ousting the Syrian autocratic regime (Telegraph, 11 August 2011). For the same reason EU states are counting on France and Germany for paving a way-out to the
References: Walt, S. M. (1998). The Frontiers of Knowledge: International Relations: One World, Many Theories. Foreign Policy, Spring, 32-43. Retrieved from http://www.scholar.google.com/scholar Books Doyle, M. (1997).Ways of War and Peace: Realism, Liberalism, and Socialism (Paperback)... London: W. W. Norton & Company, 41-204 Mearsheimer, J Moseley, A. (2001). Political Realism. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from http://www.iep.utm.edu/polreal/