PowerPower

Sun Tzu: “If you believe in Sun Tzu: “If you believe in freedom and peace, you must freedom and peace, you must

study the mechanisms of study the mechanisms of oppression and war.” (oppression and war.” (The Art of The Art of

WarWar, China: 500 B.C.), China: 500 B.C.)

Power is NormativePower is Normative

Realist: Power is a tool used for good or Realist: Power is a tool used for good or ill.ill.

Lord Acton (Liberal): “Power corrupts, Lord Acton (Liberal): “Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.”absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Marxist: private property, class, and Marxist: private property, class, and exploitation create power. Politics is exploitation create power. Politics is only the result only the result

Power as a unit of analysis?Power as a unit of analysis?

Power as measuring unit? (as in $)Power as measuring unit? (as in $) Power cannot be isolated from other factors Power cannot be isolated from other factors

(ceteris paribus) (ceteris paribus) Power is contextualPower is contextual Power is both tangible and intangiblePower is both tangible and intangible Power is multidirectionalPower is multidirectional Power is relationalPower is relational Power is dynamicPower is dynamic

Three aspects of powerThree aspects of power

As an exercise of influenceAs an exercise of influence As a relationship (incl. action, purpose, and As a relationship (incl. action, purpose, and

value)value) As a resourceAs a resource

As exercise of influenceAs exercise of influence

Actor and event specific (e.g.,Vietnam war, Actor and event specific (e.g.,Vietnam war, Landmine Treaty)Landmine Treaty)

A dynamic continuum: A dynamic continuum: communication/travel/trade--persuasion/dipcommunication/travel/trade--persuasion/diplomacy--constraint/threats--condemnation/lomacy--constraint/threats--condemnation/sanction--coercion/limited force--war.sanction--coercion/limited force--war.

Relationship: Mixture of Action, Relationship: Mixture of Action, Purpose, ValuePurpose, Value

Power as means vs. endPower as means vs. end Power as perception (psych. Environment: Power as perception (psych. Environment:

e.g., Pearl Harbor)e.g., Pearl Harbor) Uni vs. multidirectional (e.g.,Kosovo Crisis Uni vs. multidirectional (e.g.,Kosovo Crisis

and Russia)and Russia) Trade-offs, linkages (Canada-US relations), Trade-offs, linkages (Canada-US relations),

unintended consequences (Kosovo today)unintended consequences (Kosovo today) Zero-sum and positive-sum (relational and Zero-sum and positive-sum (relational and

structural)structural)

As a resourceAs a resource

Geopolitics: location, mil. force and Geopolitics: location, mil. force and alliances. (e.g., Landpower {H. Mackinder} alliances. (e.g., Landpower {H. Mackinder} vs Seapower {A. Mahan} strategies)vs Seapower {A. Mahan} strategies)

Mil. Force: size, training, equipment, power Mil. Force: size, training, equipment, power projection, modernity (e.g., C4SRI, OEW, projection, modernity (e.g., C4SRI, OEW, PGM,)PGM,)

Economic base: resources, infrastructure, Economic base: resources, infrastructure, skilled labour, R&D, degree of GDP skilled labour, R&D, degree of GDP dependent on trade, financial vulnerabilitydependent on trade, financial vulnerability

Resource (cont’d)Resource (cont’d)

Demographics, ideology, national unityDemographics, ideology, national unity Political system (open vs closed), Political system (open vs closed),

parliamentary vs. US separation of powersparliamentary vs. US separation of powers Role of international organizationsRole of international organizations Information (e. g., CNN effect) and Information (e. g., CNN effect) and

perceptionperception

Marxism and ‘Power’ in IPMarxism and ‘Power’ in IP

Economic inequality not anarchy is the Economic inequality not anarchy is the problemproblem

Bourgeois Western states vs Bourgeois Western states vs underdeveloped worldunderdeveloped world

Colonialism--imperialism--neo-imperialismColonialism--imperialism--neo-imperialism Dependency theory: how underdevelopment Dependency theory: how underdevelopment

continuescontinues Solution: revolution, Intra-Bourgeois Solution: revolution, Intra-Bourgeois

conflict, new terms of trade.conflict, new terms of trade.

ConclusionConclusion

Power connected to normative purposePower connected to normative purpose Imprecise unit of measurementImprecise unit of measurement Not abstract, but always context specific. Not abstract, but always context specific.