Foreign Policy Analysis: Concepts, Realism, and Liberal Challenges
Defining Foreign Policy (FP)
Foreign Policy is the political dimension of a state’s external relations within the international system. It involves a combination of goals and interests achieved using specific instruments and strategies, governed by regulations and principles crucial for maintaining relations with other countries. A main goal of FP is to understand and maintain the coherence and unity of relations with other states.
Understanding Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA)
Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA) is the study of the decision-making process used to create Foreign Policy, incorporating various levels and approaches.
FP vs. International Relations (IR)
Unlike International Relations (IR), which often focuses solely on the system (states as the main agents), Foreign Policy studies the structure across different levels of analysis (institutions, groups, and individuals). FPA includes the organization and normed behavior of all participants within this structure.
Levels of Analysis in Foreign Policy
- Institutions
- Groups
- Individuals
FPA Status and Post-1980s Changes
Key factors influencing the current status of FPA and changes since the 1980s include:
- Globalisation
- Climate Change
- Technology
- Capitalism vs. Socialism
- Human Rights
Realism in Foreign Policy and IR
Three Basic Assumptions of Realism in FP
The three basic assumptions on how the world works, according to Realism in Foreign Policy, are:
- Egoism
- Groupism
- Powercentrism
According to Realism, Anarchy is regarded as one of the basic assumptions of IR: TRUE
Liberalism’s Challenge to Realism
Liberalism challenges Realism by asserting that institutions and individual ideas (especially concerning Human Rights topics) are the most important factors for understanding and operating the world system. Liberals believe that cooperation and democracy lead to successful international relations.
Regarding Foreign Policy, Liberals disagree with the structural focus of Realism. They argue that liberal states promote peace. The external relations of a state must prioritize cooperative and equal interests to maintain the relationship’s coherence, which Liberals view as the main goal of Foreign Policy.
Liberalism and Imprudent Aggressiveness
Imprudent aggressiveness refers to aggression directed by liberal states toward non-liberal states. Liberalism is associated with this concept because liberal states sometimes opt for war or conflict rather than pursuing peaceful negotiation or resolution of differences with non-liberal states. Liberals occasionally justify these actions by claiming self-defense against non-liberal threats.
Types of Liberalism and FP Aspects
Three types of Liberalism and their associated aspects of Liberal Foreign Policy:
- Lockean Liberalism: Focuses on human nature.
- Commercial Liberalism: Focuses on social/economic interdependence.
- Kantian Liberalism: Focuses on international republicanism.
Key Concepts and Case Studies
Stephen Walt and FP Decision Making
In his Foreign Policy article “Making the Grade,” Stephen Walt advocates for the Constructivism model of FP decision making.
Facts on the Cuban Missile Crisis
- Awareness of weapons since day one: FALSE
- US plane shot down during the crisis: TRUE
- JFK’s decision to deal with the crisis was to: Blockade