Neo-Realism and Neo-Liberalism
John Baylis – Theory of International Relations
Chapter – 7
Table of Contents
Introduction
- The debate between neo-realists and neo-liberals has dominated US international relations scholarship since the mid-1980s.
- Major US journals like International Organization and International Security focus on the relative merits of neo-realism and neo-liberalism in explaining international politics.
- Neo-realism and neo-liberalism are offspring of Realism and Liberalism, respectively, and are more than theories; they are paradigms that define research and policy-making agendas.
- There are many versions of Realism and Liberalism, with some Realists taking a more hard-line stance on defense and international agreements, while others take more accommodating positions.
- This chapter explores the versions of neo-realism and neo-liberalism that have the greatest impact on US academic discourse and foreign policy.
- Neo-realism generally refers to Kenneth Waltz’s Theory of International Politics (1979), which emphasizes the structure of the international system as the primary determinant of state behavior.
- Neo-realism in security studies also includes terms like offensive realism and defensive realism to describe current versions of Realism.
- In the academic world, neo-liberalism typically refers to neo-liberal Institutionalism (also called Institutional theory), while in the policy world, it refers to a foreign policy promoting free trade, open markets, and Western democratic values.
- Most Western states, led by the US, promote the enlargement of the community of democratic and capitalist nation-states, relying on institutions created after World War II for political and economic power.
- In practice, neo-liberal foreign policies prioritize national interests over universal ideals, and economic interestsoften take precedence over geopolitical ones.
- For students, understanding neo-realism and neo-liberalism is crucial to understanding how leaders and citizens respond to global events and issues.
- There are clear differences between neo-realism and neo-liberalism, but these should not be exaggerated.
- Robert Keohane, a neo-liberal institutionalist, argues that neo-liberal Institutionalism borrows from both Realismand Liberalism.
- Both theories are considered status-quo perspectives, addressing issues of security, conflict, and cooperation, but neither advocates for radical transformation of the international system.
- Neo-realism and neo-liberalism are system maintainer theories, meaning they are satisfied with the current international system, its actors, values, and power arrangements.
- Neo-realism focuses on military security and war, while neo-liberal theorists focus on cooperation, international political economy, and the environment.
- The core research question for neo-liberal institutionalists is how to promote and support cooperation in an anarchicand competitive international system.
- The core research question for neo-realists is how to survive in this system.
- The chapter includes a review of assumptions and positions in the neo-realism vs. neo-liberalism debate, and how both react to the processes of globalization.