Can International Cooperation Protect the Planet?

Comparing Four Theories of IR

Craig Collins, Ph.D. ©

What is a Theory?Theories try to answer

questions.• They are educated guesses.• Explanations of why something

happens or how something works.

• Strong theories do not contradict the known facts & are internally consistent (logical).

• Theories should be testable. Explanations that cannot be tested somehow are essentially ungrounded conjecture or faith-based doctrine.

• Theories simplify reality the way maps simplify the world.

Are Theories Objective & Unbiased?• NO—Good theories try to

objectively explain how political & economic systems work, but complete objectivity is impossible.

• Theoretical explanations always reflect, to some degree, the situation, perspective, interests & biases of the observer.

• Also, they are promoted & popularized by those who may benefit from, & agree with, the basic conclusions derived from the theory.

IR theories try to explain:Why do nations behave the

way they do?

Can they cooperate to protect the planet?

Comparing 4 Theories

• Neo-Realist Theory

• Neo-Liberal Theory

• World Systems Theory

• Green Theory

• Neo-Realist Theory

• Neo-Liberal Theory

• World Systems Theory

• Green Theory

— Theories of International Relations —

Neo-RealistTheory

Neo-LiberalTheory

World SystemsTheory

Green Theory

Key Actors Nation states,especially thegreat powers.

Multi-nationalcorporations(MNCs) &powerful states

States:Core—peripheryClasses:Elites—masses

Growth/security driveneconomic, political units:MNCs, states. *Also, civilsociety (NGOs, CSOs)

Nature of theSystem

Global anarchyZero-sum rivalrybetween states fordominance.

Competitive-cooperativeglobal market(managed byhegemon?)

Exploitation ofperiphery & massesby core & elites.Masses & peripheryresist.

High-energy industrialsystem based on globalexploitation of fossilfuels, nature & labor.

System’sCentralDynamic

Pursuit of PowerConstant conflictWealth servespower

Pursuit of wealthPower serveswealth

Profit & powerthrough exploitation:Production for profitin a world market.

Ceaseless drive foreconomic growth,political & military power.

Who wins &loses?

Strong win;Weak lose.

Win-win; rationalself-interestbenefits all ifmanagedproperly.

Core/elite win;Middle mixed;Periphery/poor lose.

Short term: MNCs &powerful states.Long term: No oneUNSUSTAINABLE.

Chances forGlobalEnvironmentalCooperation

Little Chance--Cooperationthreatenssovereignty--couldbe imposed by asuperpower.

Possible, but theenvironment is an“externality”.Cooperation mustbe profitable.

Unlikely & at theexpense of poorstates & peopleunless they resist.

Marginal, system willimplode unless civilsociety forces majorchanges to make itsustainable.

Neo-Realist Theory: Geo-Politics

Under these systemic conditions, global

cooperation to protect the planet cannot be achieved without a

superpower.

Neo-Realists & Environmental Cooperation

• Neo-Realists often dismiss problems requiring cooperative solutions that cannot be solved by using national (military) power.

• International cooperation undermines sovereignty & limits the nation’s freedom to do as it pleases.

• Neo-Realists worry that other nations will take advantage of cooperative arrangements to increase their relative power.

• Neo-Realists tend to minimize ecological problems (unless they pose a threat to national security).

Can Power Solve All Problems?• What if the planet’s

environmental problems are far more serious than the neo-realists care to admit?

• What if cooperative solutions are the only ones that can possibly work?

• What will happen if neo-realists ignore these problems & reject cooperative solutions?

Neo-Liberal TheoryUnlike Neo-Realists, who see each country as essentially

an autonomous, independent actor…Neo-Liberals think all nations are embedded in, & dependent on, a global network of international trade, finance, information sharing & political cooperation.

COMPLEX INTERDEPENDENCECOMPLEX INTERDEPENDENCE

Neo-Liberals & Environmental Cooperation

• International cooperation is acceptable & as long as it doesn’t harm economic growth & profit.

• Environmental treaties will only succeed if they are profitable & adopt market mechanisms.

• Neo-Liberals don’t think global capitalism poses a fundamental threat to the planet…ceaseless economic growth can be sustainable.

• International cooperation is acceptable & as long as it doesn’t harm economic growth & profit.

• Environmental treaties will only succeed if they are profitable & adopt market mechanisms.

• Neo-Liberals don’t think global capitalism poses a fundamental threat to the planet…ceaseless economic growth can be sustainable.

Neo-Liberal “Solutions”

Neo-Liberal solutions to global ecological threats tend to rely on:– The Market & Profit– Technological Fixes– Corporate CEOs &

Government Leaders

Is Sustainable-Growth an Oxymoron?Social movements that challenge the fairness & sustainability of profit-driven, market-based “solutions” to global environmental crises are ignored & suppressed by government & corporate elites.

• Ethanol?• Clean coal?

Is Earth-friendly Capitalism Just Green Hype?

Can economies keep growing & growing on a finite planet?

World-Systems Theory• WST holds that the capitalist

global economy is based on domination & exploitation.

• It is rapidly undermining itself & headed for collapse.

• Its central flaw is created by its primary objective: production for profit which requires:– Labor exploitation– Extreme inequality– “Over production” – Massive debt– Externalizing Env. Damage

Core & Periphery: Exploiting Labor & Trade

• WST theory sees a world economy divided into a developed core & an underdeveloped periphery.

• Core nations & MNCs exploit poor nations through unequal trade & by directly employing desperate, cheap labor.

CLASS ALLIANCE BETWEEN ELITES IN CORE &PERIPHERY BASED ON LABOR EXPLOITATION

CORE STATE

Elite Corporate, Financial, Political & MilitaryMiddle ClassMasses Educated Professionals, Small/Med. Business

Unskilled Labor

Elite

Middle ClassPERIPHERAL STATES

Masses (workers/peasants) EliteMiddle Class

Masses (workers/peasants)

Elites, Consumers, Workers• The world economy is also

divided into basic economic sectors (classes):– The owners & rulers:

core & periphery elites.– The professional,

educated, middle class managers & consumers.

– The low paid rural & urban workers. As the system’s cheap labor & the producers of most commodities, they are the foundation of the global economy. To avoid “over-production” consumers

are encouraged to go into debt to buy all the commodities being produced.

The System’s Fatal Flaws-- Low Wages, Over-production & Debt

• If workers can’t buy what they produce, the production process hits a wall.

• Consumer debt only delays the crash.

Real Wages vs Real Productivity (1830-2007)

The Equity Barrier to Cooperation• Major environmental

problems facing humanity were created by the same processes that have made the core nations wealthy & powerful.

• The process of rapid industrialization that propelled core states’ into a position of world dominance is the very same processes that cause global warming.

The Richest 20% of the World’s Population has 82.7% of the World IncomeThe Poorest 20% has 1.4% of the World Income

Who Should Bear the Costs of Environmental Protection?

Persisting Inequity Makes It Difficult to Achieve Cooperation Between Rich & Poor Nations

Because…• Poor nations resent being told to make sacrifices to address problems

they did not create & do not benefit from.• Poor nations do not have the resources to confront environmental

problems, especially if the solution requires limiting development.• Poor nations don’t trust rich nations. They worry the core will shift the

burden of environmental protection onto the periphery.• Core nations have a long history of looking for ways to minimize their

sacrifices & costs by shifting the burden onto the periphery.• Core nations resist giving substantial environmental aid & assistance to

poor nations, especially if it undermines their wealth & power.• Capitalist elites (from the core to the periphery) profit by using

environmentally destructive resource extraction & production methods. They steadfastly resist any serious effort to change.

• Elites use their media dominance to downplay environmental problems & convince people that environmental protection will cause recession & unemployment.

Green Theory: Biosphere PoliticsGreen Theory: Biosphere Politics• Green Theory agrees

with WST.• But Green Theory

considers one problem even bigger than exploitation & inequity:

UNSUSTAINABILITY!“Sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.”

Ceaseless Growth Is ImpossibleTo Sustain on a Finite Planet

The entire global system is “running out of gas” & trashing the planet.

Petroleum--The Source of Power, Profit & “Progress”

• Greens think labor exploitation is just part of the picture.

• High Energy Society relies on fossil fuels for:– Agriculture– Industry– Transportation & Trade– Communication/Media– Military Technology

• Petroleum-based technologies & weapons are the source of the core’s wealth global domination.

Addicted to Vanishing Oil• Green Theory sees a

global economy on a life support system of fossil fuels.

• This is both the secret of its success & the source of its future demise.

Oil Addiction + Growth = Ecocide• Climate Chaos

• Ocean Acidification

• Biodiversity Collapse

• Deforestation

• Toxic Waste

• Top Soil & Fresh Water Depletion

• Air & Water Pollution

• Resource Wars

Is Cooperation Possible?• Greens are skeptical.• Economic & political

elites have a powerful stake in the status quo.

• They encourage denial & down-play the dangers looming on the horizon.

• They ignore the roots of the problem & look for quick-fix, technological solutions.

Civil Society & NGOs: A Source of Hope• Because they benefit from

the status quo, politicians & business executives resist fundamental change.

• But Leaders have emerged from Civil Society. These citizens groups have formed global networks of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) to demand action & search for real solutions.

What is Civil Society?What is Civil Society? A diverse movement toward an

ecological society is emerging. It includes: organic farmers,

environmental activists, simple living advocates, anti-globalization & anti-war activists, renewable energy developers, indigenous peoples movements, land reform & resource protection movements, environmental justice/urban revival groups, green jobs & labor unions, green businesses, eco-friendly religious organizations, green & other progressive political parties & organizations…

The most celebrated gathering of this network is the World Social Forum.

The Green View--Active, Organized People Can Make the Difference

Necessity--The Mother of InventionTheir biggest ally is the growing crises of modern life:

• EconomicRecession

• Resource Depletion& Conflict

• EnvironmentalDevastation

• EcosystemCollapse

The Future WILL BE Dramatically Different From the Present

• But what will it look like?• How bad will things get

before they get better?• What will replace fossil-

fueled, rapid-growth, high-energy civilization?

• Crisis--The Midwife of Opportunity?

The Green Fear• The system is unable to kick

its oil addiction.• Corporate elites & politicians

convince Americans to deploy ever-more military power to control the planet’s dwindling petroleum deposits.– Wars & environmental

destruction escalate as the global system unravels into a free-for-all over scarce resources.

– Militarism & war waste the money needed to re-build a sustainable energy infrastructure based on renewable energies.

– The US & the world go into a long, grim economic decline.

The Green Hope/Vision• People become serious about making

major changes in society.• Citizens make their governments

initiate basic reforms to heal the planet, reduce the conflict over scarce resources & get off fossil fuels:– Sustainable, solar-powered societies linked

by limited FAIR trade, shared technologies & cultural exchange.

– Eco-friendly cities, towns & villages.• Solar-powered transportation networks,

buildings & homes.• Locally grown, organic agriculture.

– Steady population reduction.– Ecosystem restoration.– Decentralized, democratically-run economic

& political systems, federated globally.– Global demilitarization.

Which Road Will We Choose?