RennanGuanlao

POLSC144AY1617
ReviewEssay
AnarchyandWorldOrder
Therealistframeworkhascontinuallyemphasizedandexplainedthatthestatesinthe
internationalsystemarecompetinginnatureandprioritizethepursuanceofpowertoavoidthreatsfrom
otherstates.AsWaltzhassaid,[b]ecauseanystatemayatanytimeuseforce,allstatesmust
constantlybereadyeithertocounterforcewithforceortopaythecostofweakness,imposedbythe
circumstancesinwhichallstatesexist.Thisframeworkbelievesthatasanarchy,orthelackofan
authoritativebodygoverningallstatesintheinternationalsystem,isnaturallypresentopportunitiesfor
statestocooperatealsopresentopportunitiesforconflict.Thismakeswarinevitableamong
autonomousstates1.
Subsequently,asGriecohasiteratedinhisfollowingoftherealistframework,anarchy,andthe
premiseitsets,inevitablyproducesthemotivationsofstatestoprioritizestateinterestandsecurity,and
pursuepower.Cooperationislessviablebasicallybecauseoftheuncertaintyofeachstatesactionsand
decisions2.Becauseahighergoverningbodyisnotpresent,noonewouldensurethatstatesbehaveina
goodmannerorcarryoutpunishments.Weseethatthestateofanarchyistobeblamedforthelimited
cooperationcapabilitiesofstatesandtheoptiontonotfulfillcommitments.
Asexplainedbyrealists,statesappearasnaturallyruledefyingpoliticalactors.Theyare
delinquentsinaschoolwithoutaprincipalorteacherstokeeptheminplace.Butifthereareno
principalsorteachers,canwestillcallitaschool?Nevertheless,proposingforaworldgovernmenthas
notbeenpossiblenorisfeasibleinthenearfuturebecauseoftheacceptanceofanarchyinthe
internationalsystem.Thismeanstheremightbeotherexplanationsorwaystotellwhystateshasnot
killedeachotherintheshorttimetheybeenestablishedintheplanet.
AxelrodandKeohaneprovidedseveralsuggestionsforsuccessfulcooperationdespitethe
presenceofanarchyintheinternationalsystem,amongthoseistheestablishmentofinternational
regimes.Throughtheseregimes,uncertaintyandthecoststheyincurarereducedamongstatessothat
cooperationbecomesthebetteroption3.Incontemporarytimes,warandconflicthasgraduallybecome
lessbeneficial,andoverallthemoreunattractiveoptioninsecuringastatesinterest,makingcooperation
abetterapproachwhendealingwithotherstates.
Bullpointedoutthatbecausestateshavecommongoalsthattheywouldliketouphold,suchas
preservationofaninternationalsystemandinternationalsociety,maintaintheindependenceofindividual
states,generallackofwarorpeace,andfurtherthelimitationofviolence,keepingofagreementsand
respectofpossessionofproperty,allofwhichstatesbuildupontheirrelationshipswitheachother4.This
showsthatdespitetheperceivedpresenceofanarchyandthesituationsitcreates,statesactinan
establishedwaythatdonotalwaysmeanconflictormaintainingpowersuperiority.
Ultimately,wecantreatanarchy,notasaninevitablesituationofstatesbutasaproductofthe
relationsamongsovereignstateintheinternationalsystem.Itdoesaffecttheactionsofstatesbutitis
notthedefiningfactorinestablishingorderordisorderamongstates.Therealistframeworkmaybe
takenasaprecautionarystancetowardshostileorunfriendlystates,andnotasaclearcutapproach
towardsfosteringrelationsbetweenstates.Orderintheinternationalsystem,byformingpatternsof
1

Waltz,KennethN.Man,TheState,andWar:ATheoreticalAnalysis

.NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress,1959.
Grieco,JosephM."AnarchyandtheLimitsofCooperation:ARealistCritiqueoftheNewestLiberalInstitutionalism."
InternationalOrganization.42,no.03(1988):485507.doi:10.1017/s0020818300027715.
3
Axelrod,Robert,andRobertO.Keohane."AchievingCooperationunderAnarchy:StrategiesandInstitutions."WorldPolitics
38,no.01(1985):22654.doi:10.2307/2010357.
4
Bull,Hedley.TheAnarchicalSociety:AStudyofOrderinWorldPolitics

.NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress,1977.
2

behavioramongstatesonlymeanstheiractionsareinfluencedbyamyriadoffactorsthatarenever
fixed.