Approaches to shaping International Relations

This research paper compares and discusses two schools of

thought, the power reality and morality approaches to the

shaping and explanation of international relations and in

particular the use made of international organizations and

their effectiveness. After outlining these alternative modes of

analysis, three specific cases are studied: (1) the role of the

League of Nations in the Abyssinia crisis in the 1930s; (2) the

part played by the United Nations in defusing the Cyprus crises

in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s; and (3) the United Nations and

American intervention in Somalia in the 1990s. In general, the

power reality approach has tended to produce a more tailored

and stabilizing use of international organizations than have

foreign policies strongly influenced by more idealistic

Realpolitik v. Morality in Foreign Policy

Two leading conceptualizers and implementers of the power

reality school of thought in recent times are the American

historians and diplomats, George Kennan and Henry Kissinger,

whose views differ sharply from those of the principal

architect of the more idealistic approach to international

relations and international organizations, Woodrow Wilson.

Kennan said that "there has been . . . a very significant

gap between challenge and response in the conduct of foreign

policy, . . . this gap . . . today [1951] places us in great

. . .
Covenant. In October, 1935, Fascist Italy launched an unprovoked invasion of Abyssinia, a member state, and conquered it in less than a year. Article 16 of the Covenant provided that "should any member . . . resort to war in disregard of the covenant . . . it shall ipso facto be deemed to have committed an act of war against all members."9 The League condemned the invasion and authorized the League of Nations Committee to draw up sanctions against Italy. The export of war materials to Italy was banned, but not oil, which Italy lacked. As Winston Churchill said, "the League of Nations, therefore, proceeded onto the rescue of Abyssinia on the basis that nothing must be done to hamper the invading Italian armies."10 While the British and French Foreign Secretaries (Hoare and Laval) secretly agreed to partition Abyssinia, Mosely said that "the Italians bluffed the British into keeping their own [war]ships in harbor. Britain could have closed the Suez Canal" but failed to do so.11 Britain and France had reasons for not wishing to challenge the Italians, but by saying one thing and doing another, Lichthen said that they exposed "the League of Nations for the hollow sham it was."12 Gilbert concluded that "the
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Wilson Kennan, United Nations16, League Nations, Nations Kissinger, Restore Hope, Wilson America, Turkey Beirut, Security Council, Fascist Italy, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, league nations, foreign policy, united nations, international organizations, york simon schuster, intervention somalia, schuster 1992, york simon, simon schuster, cyprus crises, kissinger york, kissinger york simon, simon schuster 1992, beyond self-defense commentary, taylor origins world,
Approximate Word count = 1780
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

More Essays on Approaches to shaping International Relations