Cynthia Weber's international anarchy myth
What is the meaning of anarchy? Different online and offline sources will give you an array of explanations. Anarchy is a central concept in our study of international relations.
Merriam-Webster defines anarchy as absence of government. Another meaning is the absence or denial of any authority or establish order.
The definition from Merriam-Webster above is more or less the definition we are after. It sets the basis for understanding the concept of anarchy in international relations.
The hierarchical structure of the domestic political system is another good starting point for anyone trying to explain the concept to foundation year students of international relations. This will help students to distinguish between the structure of the domestic and international system.
From my point of view, I believe a prerequisite unit on political theory discussing the works of various political philosophers should be taken prior to studying international relations theory. Moreover, a unit on social political philosophy is necessary to understand the works of Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes and others.
One cannot talk about anarchy without mentioning Hobbes' social contract theory or his pessimistic view of human beings. His work gives us a philosophical reason why we need a government and the importance of a government.
The composition of actors at the domestic system is different from the international system. Weber in her book 'International relations theory: a critical introduction' said one assumption of the international anarchy myth is that sovereign nation-state are the key actors in international politics. Being sovereign means a state has absolute authority over its territory and people.
Unlike the domestic system where we gave up some of our dangerous rights. States in the international system cannot not surrender some of their sovereign rights easily to a higher power. If they do so then there is the risk of the higher power exploiting the less powerful state for their own benefit.
This condition makes it difficult to establish a higher form of authority to govern what states should do and should not do. Weber labels this as the third assumption of the international anarchy myth. She said there is no world government so there is no international orderer.
In her final assumption, she said the absence of a world government or orderer by definition means that international politics is anarchical. Her definition is connected to the definition given by Merriam-Webster.
Her three assumptions of the international anarchy myth helps us to develop our understanding of the theory of realism. She also reinforces the understanding that anarchy is a central concept in the realism school of thought or international relations as a sub field of political science.
Merriam-Webster defines anarchy as absence of government. Another meaning is the absence or denial of any authority or establish order.
The definition from Merriam-Webster above is more or less the definition we are after. It sets the basis for understanding the concept of anarchy in international relations.
The hierarchical structure of the domestic political system is another good starting point for anyone trying to explain the concept to foundation year students of international relations. This will help students to distinguish between the structure of the domestic and international system.
From my point of view, I believe a prerequisite unit on political theory discussing the works of various political philosophers should be taken prior to studying international relations theory. Moreover, a unit on social political philosophy is necessary to understand the works of Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes and others.
One cannot talk about anarchy without mentioning Hobbes' social contract theory or his pessimistic view of human beings. His work gives us a philosophical reason why we need a government and the importance of a government.
The composition of actors at the domestic system is different from the international system. Weber in her book 'International relations theory: a critical introduction' said one assumption of the international anarchy myth is that sovereign nation-state are the key actors in international politics. Being sovereign means a state has absolute authority over its territory and people.
Unlike the domestic system where we gave up some of our dangerous rights. States in the international system cannot not surrender some of their sovereign rights easily to a higher power. If they do so then there is the risk of the higher power exploiting the less powerful state for their own benefit.
This condition makes it difficult to establish a higher form of authority to govern what states should do and should not do. Weber labels this as the third assumption of the international anarchy myth. She said there is no world government so there is no international orderer.
In her final assumption, she said the absence of a world government or orderer by definition means that international politics is anarchical. Her definition is connected to the definition given by Merriam-Webster.
Her three assumptions of the international anarchy myth helps us to develop our understanding of the theory of realism. She also reinforces the understanding that anarchy is a central concept in the realism school of thought or international relations as a sub field of political science.
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