Theory Assignment: Behavior Does Each Theory Miss

Theory Assignment
POLS 2940
The application of theoretical approaches in understanding international politics and relations can mainly be found in the work of the applied theories to provide ‘lenses’ which enhances the understanding of the dynamics of the different political aspects of the world. These theories play a major role in explaining the functioning of international systems using international relation principles. The engagement of nations across the world are clearly explained in these theories thus presenting the world view of international politics, diplomats and experts use these theories which vary from liberal, equity-centric strategies, to straightforward realist concept to dictate directions to be taken by governments on the approach toward international political concerns. We explain the major theoretical lenses as they have been used to explain the understanding of world politics and international relations with reference to dynamics, problems, causes, and effects. The theoretical lenses explained herein include liberalism, realism, radicalism, and constructivism.
Liberalism is a political theory that believes the current global system is likely to endanger the peaceful world order. According to this theory, international cooperation is considered an effective way of furthering a country’s respective interest rather than using direct forces like military actions. According to this theory, the use of forces for the country’s interest is associated with negative consequences, including economic losses and civil casualties, which exceed its potential benefits. Liberal leaders consider using their economic and social power in the achievement of national goals like making agreements with neighboring countries to secure boulders.
Realism focuses on the straightforward approach of international relations. In realism theory, all nations work toward increment of their power. The countries that manage to hoard more power effectively thrive easily through eclipsing less powerful nations. According to realism, the major focus of a nation is its self-preservation, which helps it to continually gain power as a social, economic, and political entity. Applying this theory, the government most likely uses deceit and violence as effective tools for advancing its national interests. The enforcement of effective foreign policies improves the nation’s global statutes as moral righteousness remaining the highest priority of the homeland defense.
Constructivism theory of international relations provides a nation’s belief system on historical, cultural, and social aspects to explain and elaborate its foreign policies and their practices in improving the country’s standards rather than the use of force or material interest. Countries will only apply force when it is necessary for solving international crises but not to fulfil international interest. According to this theoretical lens, international institutions and other non-state actors play a major role in influencing international behaviors which are achieved through lobbies and persuasions. States, therefore, play a minimal role in enhancing international relations as they are mostly biased and influenced by desires for political gains.
Radicalism assumes the primacy of economics in virtual explanation of the global phenomena. In relation to international politics in this theory, the significant role of the private sector is to control labor and market exchange which mainly raises a conflict between controlling, the capitalist bourgeois class, and controlled proletarian workers or in simple words, Marxism. It explains the existence and development of new relation patterns as the economic production process evolved from feudalism to capitalism (International Association of Political Science Students, 2018). The structure of the global systems, as explained in the radicalism is the by-product of imperialism, which defines the process of expansion of different forms of economics across the world.
HISTORICAL PERIODS

Realism

Liberalism

Radicalism

Constructivism

Westphalia

During the Westphalia period, the key political systems for international relations were established in Europe connection to the peace treaty of Westphalia signed in 1648 after thirty years of war. The treaties and agreements involved European empires which had been conflicting over their colonies. The negotiations on the Westphalian settlement legitimized a commonwealth of a sovereign state with sovereignty and authority of state being the two basic principles of practice in the Westphalian state system. The major event for application of this theory is in the negotiation of the Westphalian settlement treaty for settling international disputes to allow national growth in political, social, and economic perspectives.

Europe and the United States have remained to be architects and stewards of rules, norms, and institutions that mainly form the liberal international orders. The leading powers of Europe in the international relation convened on Westphalia in 1648 involved agreements that established some basic rules aiming at reducing possibilities of future violence to occur in the continent. The Westphalia model of the international legal orders ensured peace establishment in Westphalia in 1648, helping to end the period of war and violence of 30 years in Europe. The establishment of the peace treaties in the region focused on the political and economic benefit, which would only have been established through the sovereignty of the distinct areas.

This theory was less effective in the Westphalia case but had some applicable aspects during the implementation of peace-making strategies. This theory has established Westphalia as the cornerstone of the modern system of international relations. The significant of the supremacy of the territory was established in the sovereignty of the political facts and extension of supreme power over certain territories.

Westphalia developed international policies that enabled the development of peace and integration to end the existing wars and violence. The policy supported the adaptation of sovereignty and authority in peace establishment strategies. The application of this policy in Westphalia proved global economic integration and revolution of information system in western countries with minimal use of violence and crises. The end of the Westphalia period speeded up economic growth and development in Europe

19th Century Europe

The revolution of Europe in the 19th century involved compromising of less powerful nations with the impacts felts in much of Europe. The era is characterized by...