Approaches to International Relations

Reductionist theories explain international outcomes through elements and combinations of elements located at national or subnational levels. . . . A systems theory of international politics deals with the forces that are in play at the international, and not at the national, level. . . . (47; 60).

It is the view of Waltz that reductionist theories are not effective in dealing with international relations. He believes that only systems theories are capable of taking a broad enough perspective to effectively analyze and understand all the complex activities of international relations.

Waltz says that reductionist theories look at the attributes of individual nations, for example, and then try to predict the international outcome which will occur when those nations interact. He argues that this will produce unreliable predictions because "From attributes one cannot predict outcomes if outcomes depend on the situations of the actors as well as on their attributes" (47-48).

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that The international imperative is "take care of yourself"! Some leaders of nations may understand that the well-being of all of them would increase through their participation in a fuller division of labor. But to act on the idea would be to act on a domestic imperative, an imperative that does not run internationally. . . . States do not willingly place themselves in situations of increased dependence (104). Above all, Waltz to make it clear that in international relations it is the structure of the system which determines relations. Theories which are not based on the system argue that individual states create a world order by their desires and goals and actions. Waltz argues that the system often prevents states from doing what they want to do or reaching their desired goals. Again, the system is seen as having a life of its own which affects the actions of states. The structure of the system has such a strong influence on states that changes in states do not bring about changes in the system: Some have hoped that changes in the awareness and purpose . . . of states would change the quality of international life. Over the centuries states have changed in many ways, but the quality of international life has remained much
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Approximate Word count = 7527
Approximate Pages = 30 (250 words per page)