SORU:
In what aspects do neorealism and neoliberalism differ?
CEVAP: - While neorealists claim that foreign policy is constrained by anarchy, neoliberals argue that international regimes, globalization, and international interdependence are important tools for managing the relations between international actors.
- Neorealists believe that international cooperation depends on the will and power of nation states; from this perspective, it is difficult to achieve and maintain international cooperation mainly because states strive to achieve their own interests. On the other hand, neoliberals hold that if states have mutual interests in a given issue area of international relations, international cooperation can be achieved in that issue area.
- Neorealists emphasize the importance of relative gains (zero-sum game) in international politics. Neoliberals, however, consider that international actors have common interests so that they can cooperate in a given issue area and maximize their absolute gains (non-zero sum game). Eventually all states can benefit from this cooperation.
- Neorealists claim that the primary objective of states is survival in the “anarchical international system,” where they are preoccupied with matters related to national security and relative power gains. On the other hand, neoliberals attach greater importance to sustainable development, economic welfare, and non-security issue areas such as international environmental problems.
- Neorealists argue that international institutions and regimes do not affect the state behavior. In a similar vein, regimes do not have a constraining impact on the anarchical nature of the system. Neoliberals, on the other hand, argue that international institutions and regimes are influential in shaping and structuring international relations, because they facilitate cooperation among states (Baldwin, 1993: 4-8).