Rise of China
POLS1006 – Rise of China
China:
Emerging economic giant
Transition from centrally-controlled. Marxist economy to market- based economy.
Deng Xiaoping = massive economic growth
China increased the budget of military spending. The government claims it is due to: living expenses, training, maintenance and equipment.
Taiwan:
China claims their territory
Threatened military force if they claim independence
Function of the State: ENSURE THEIR OWN SURVIVAL
2 realist answers:
i) limiting their power ii) maximising their power
Power is a relation between states who have it and states that are controlled by it. And it gives the states whom have it the ability to control it. International politics is the struggle for power.
1. Power and Influence: secretary of state advises the US President, but has no power over the president.
2. Power and Force
3. Usable and unusable power: nuclear weapons
4. Legitimate and illegitimate power: legitimate = “power whose exercise is morally or legally justified”
States’ Desire for Power – John Mearsheimer
Anarchical system
Capable of harming other (almost all have offensive military capability)
Intention of other states are unclear
For their survival
States are rational actors (rationality=maximising prospects for survival)
Defensive Realism
Too much power results in balancing
States build up power and form allies
First states maximising its power = less secure
Favour of defence
Pursuit of more power trough offensive actions results in losing wars
PURSUE AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF POWER
Offensive Realism
Balancing = ineffective
Defenders don’t always have the advantage
State that starts the war, wins
Conquest does pay in some cases
Always looing for opportunities to gain advantage over each other
Maximising power is the best way to guarantee survival
The rise of China – PESSIMISTIC VIEW:
Will cause instability and conflict
Dominates Asia
Eliminates competitors of controlling regions
China:
Emerging economic giant
Transition from centrally-controlled. Marxist economy to market- based economy.
Deng Xiaoping = massive economic growth
China increased the budget of military spending. The government claims it is due to: living expenses, training, maintenance and equipment.
Taiwan:
China claims their territory
Threatened military force if they claim independence
Function of the State: ENSURE THEIR OWN SURVIVAL
2 realist answers:
i) limiting their power ii) maximising their power
Power is a relation between states who have it and states that are controlled by it. And it gives the states whom have it the ability to control it. International politics is the struggle for power.
1. Power and Influence: secretary of state advises the US President, but has no power over the president.
2. Power and Force
3. Usable and unusable power: nuclear weapons
4. Legitimate and illegitimate power: legitimate = “power whose exercise is morally or legally justified”
States’ Desire for Power – John Mearsheimer
Anarchical system
Capable of harming other (almost all have offensive military capability)
Intention of other states are unclear
For their survival
States are rational actors (rationality=maximising prospects for survival)
Defensive Realism
Too much power results in balancing
States build up power and form allies
First states maximising its power = less secure
Favour of defence
Pursuit of more power trough offensive actions results in losing wars
PURSUE AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF POWER
Offensive Realism
Balancing = ineffective
Defenders don’t always have the advantage
State that starts the war, wins
Conquest does pay in some cases
Always looing for opportunities to gain advantage over each other
Maximising power is the best way to guarantee survival
The rise of China – PESSIMISTIC VIEW:
Will cause instability and conflict
Dominates Asia
Eliminates competitors of controlling regions