Theories of World Politics

Structuralism
Structuralism
Structuralism in a Nutshell

• International politics is shaped and

determined by economic factors

• The interactions we observe in international

relations are best understood by focusing on
economics—both as a motivation in politics
and as a source of power.
Structuralism: Key Points
• Core set of beliefs rooted in Marx’s critique of
liberal capitalism
• Focuses on the distribution of wealth
• Fundamental feature: inequality
• Capitalism based on exploitation of poor by rich
• Rich maintain position in world order by exploitation of
poor
• Classes as dominant actors in IR [not states]
• State-system [and non-state actors]
• Instruments used to maintain class rule

• Conduits of class oppression

Role of Economics
• Primary motivation in international politics
• Wealth is a source of power for actors
• Focus on distribution of power in the international
system
• Economic inequality creates poverty
• economic inequality leads to political inequality
Key Elements of Structuralism

• Economic determinism
• Class system
• (bourgeoisie and the proletariat)
• Surplus value
• Exploitation
Economic determinism
• economics drives political action.
• Outcomes of political behavior are result of
economic power.
• Wealth enables states to purchase what they
need
• e.g. arms, land.
Class System
• Groups of people at different places in economic
hierarchy
• Key actors are classes, not states or individuals.
• Bourgeoisie – owners of capital

• Proletariat – workers

• Classes from different states share interests with each

other more than with different classes in own state.
Surplus Value and Exploitation

• Human beings create things of value

• SV is difference between the value of the raw
material and the finished product made by the
worker’s labor
• Value stays with the object
• This is the source of exploitation
• people can unjustly take others’ labor
• capitalist seeks to accumulate this ―profit‖
• worker continues to be poor and become
poorer
Surplus Value and International Politics

• Powerful economic class in a state will influence

or control governments

• Economic expansion abroad drives international

politics
• Result of need for markets to expand profits
• State governments act to keep foreign markets open
so their companies can invest, trade and make a profit
• Free trade leads to economic exploitation of weaker
actors who become poorer
Structuralism: Main Tenets
• Nature of IR is shaped by capitalist world
economy
Structuralism: Main Tenets
• Nature of IR is shaped by capitalist world economy
• Main actors:
• states
• MNCs
• transnational social classes
Structuralism: Main Tenets
• Nature of IR is shaped by capitalist world economy
• Main actors: states, MNCs, transnational social classes
• State reflects interests of the dominant classes
• rather than ―national interest‖
Structuralism: Main Tenets
• Nature of IR is shaped by capitalist world economy
• Main actors: states, MNCs, transnational social classes
• State reflects interests of the dominant classes
• rather than ―national interest‖
• Capitalism is a fundamentally unjust social and
economic order
• generates conflict and disharmony
Structuralism: Main Tenets
• Nature of IR is shaped by capitalist world economy
• Main actors: states, MNCs, transnational social classes
• State reflects interests of the dominant classes
• rather than ―national interest‖
• Capitalism is a fundamentally unjust social and economic order
• generates conflict and disharmony
• Capitalism is subject to periodic crises
Structuralism: Variants

• Dependency theory
Structuralism: Variants

• Dependency theory
• states are constrained by international economic
system
• poverty in world stems from exploitative structure
of capitalist world economy
• possibility of change is slim
Structuralism: Variants

• Dependency theory
• World Systems Theory [Wallerstein]
Structuralism: Variants

• Dependency theory
• World Systems Theory [Wallerstein]
• historical development of world-capitalist-system
• division into core, semi-periphery, and periphery.
• Cyclical nature of hegemonic core powers
• the core shifts over time from one area to another