International Relations 101 (#3): Anarchy

When one state meddles in another state's internal affairs, who punishes the first state? In other words, who is sovereign over the sovereign? The best answer: no one. International relations lives in anarchy, more closely resembling an area ruled by mafia dons than a strong local police force.

However, anarchy does not imply chaos. Anarchy permits anything to happen. Thus, the challenge for us as students of international relations is to be able to predict and explain phenomenon despite the wide-open possibilities.

[pitrider]

I've just started watching your videos, and man, I am so intrigued.

[MellzMusic]

I would just like to thank you so much, I'm doing IR and I'm struggling a bit with keeping up and your videos are helping so much with making things clear!!!

[johnd]

Anarchy means without rulers, it does not mean without rules. It seems to me what you're leading up to with the desire to predict outcomes is some special class of overloads to govern the world, which is not anarchy.
With Anarchy when one sovereign feels another isn't following the rules, they would then enlist the help of the others. No predictions necessary. (Predictions makes me think of Orwell's thought police, a road best avoided in my opinion)

[codewellventuresmain]

There are some grey areas:
1. Who decides that a state is sovereign?And how?
2. Who decides that a government of a sovereign state is a legitimate government? And how? (Since, states deal with each other through their governments.)
3. Does human rights violation(example, genocide) supersede the rule of "no interference" from other countries?

[Gametheory]

Cool! I am doing a massive update to my gametheory101 website as I type this, including the section on international relations. You might want to check that out.

[benfray]

as opposed to Somalia or ... New Jersey *poker face* xD

[cuentaonofficial]

Thanx William! I´m a future international relationship student and I´ll go through all the 70 chapters, looks really interesting and its really well explained! Thank you for using your time on other people :) Regards from Japan! (I´m Spanish btw, just spending the year here)

[CIIIKINGS]

i'm doing a masters course in international business and politics this coming september and these videos are really helpful

[PunmasterSTP]

Dang the end of the video got kinda deep. Thanks so much for making these series!

[twinkytwinklier]

I’m an engineering student. I got data structures and computer architectures exams coming up tomorrow. Whay am I watching this late at night?

[Gametheory]

I'm not sure what you are actually referring to, but let's take what you said as a given. Then this force is not a "police" precisely because it operates under contract...which is precisely the argument from the video. The world is "self-help"; if you want help, then it's up to you to get it, either by doing it yourself or hiring someone else to.

[pam]

Very interesting video series... I'm not a student, just passionate about the topic! Keep it going!

[ЭмирАсанДервишев]

Thanks for video! Сan you recomend some literature on this topic, esp about comparing mafia and states?

[minhtetsithu]

Thank you very much for the useful information

[Common_Teacher__]

Lesson 3 Anarchy
It means the lack of political authority
=(self-help)

BQ : Who is sovereign over the sovereign.
- There is no sovereign over the sovereign.

There is either no police in the world or weak. (The united nations)

In case of domestic affairs, The police take care of it.

Violations of sovereignty
-Osama Bin Laden
-Nato meddling in Lybia
-Sobiet

IR is closer to the mafia world

IR's challenge : If anything can happen, how do we predict or explain outcomes?

My opinion : If super power nations sovereign over the sovereign?
In case of Russia and Ukraine, could world police take care of it? Or even USA? I think It is the reason that small and weak countries hope to armnate of nuclear weapons. In case of mafia world, mafia holds guns for self-help. So do countries.

[scienceshow]

What is the role of inter pol and international laws in anarchic condition?

[aksshaysharma]

Can you please include views of various scholars also in your next videos?

[runshi]

gratitudes from Chinese future IR student!!!

[MarseelFam]

thanks :D i learn alot from your videos

[InternationalRob]

Some anarchist theories do support having elected and supported bodies that ensure mutual prosperity and those that agrees on having common defense. They can also have communal or worker's control over economic processes and have a governing body such s a syndicate. They just don't have territorial boundaries like a classical state would have.

I understand that anarchy is a different concept in international relations though.