Explaining conflict and cooperation: tools and techniques of the trade - Key concepts - International actors, power and authority

8 important questions on Explaining conflict and cooperation: tools and techniques of the trade - Key concepts - International actors, power and authority

What is an actor in international politics?

Any person or body whose decisions and actions have repercussions for international politics

Why are states the most important actors in global politics?

1) they have the capacity to control the flow of people, goods and money across borders
2) they normally wield significant armies
3) they have the power to tax and spend significant amounts
4) only states promulgate and enforce laws

How does Robert Dahl see power?

The ability to get others to do what they otherwise would not do
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What is power conversion?

The capacity to convert potential power, as measured in resources, to realized power, measured in the changed behaviour of others

What is soft power?

Getting others to want what you want: the appeal of one's ideas or the ability to set the political agenda in a way that shaped the preferences others express

What is the difference between power and authority

Authority can be power when others respect it, nut it requires legitimacy

What is smart power?

The capacity to know when to use which form of power or combine the two.

Distribution in power in the international politics:

Unipolar system = one country --> hegemon
Bipolar = two countries --> superpowers
Multipolar = three or more countries --> great powers

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