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Summary History of International Relations
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- Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
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History of International RelationsIntroduction: Why history matters
Class 1 – sept 28:
GRADING
2/20 = seminars
18/20 = 100% WRITTEN exam!
5 close questions + open questions
Geography test: Online!
Dates to memorize? → those on slides! Memorize all slides perfectly: already get OK grades.
= example of open exam question. 1st: always start with main summary (see pt.1), 2) geography: says
‘no detail’ → Indian is subcontinent merged into Indian ocean, north Himalaya, south of Himalaya
Hindu-Gangetic plains, hills and mountains in between and around coast: cities and states throughout
history. → then important steps: 3) Vedic age, 4) Mahjanapadas, 5) Maurya, etc. up until arrival of EU
colonists. ➔ should be able to do this in 5mins! → then give conclusions & make links with India today,
etc. work VERY structured!!
Peace and war = core business of world politics.
At tipping point: 1) cosmopolitans 2) nationalists
1) After collapse SU (1991): EU: lead by example rather than by force | China: doctrine of peaceful rice
| US: liberal foreign policy → thought power politics & great wars have ended.
2) globalization (migrants & multinationals) = threat. → Shift: group grows
Meanwhile shift: military spending > Cold war.
1
,History: focus = Europe → outside: claim own strategic culture totally different from EU politics (e.g.
China: harmonious tradition | India: Gandhi: peace principle). → geographical limitation history =
misunderstanding
Writing history
UNDERSTAND ALL LAYERS WELL
S37: Holslag: aims book to combine all these different but interrelated layers:
S38: 1) Distribution of power: polity: influence over citizens (internal) & other polities (external).
Power = 1) inputs/capabilities (land & natural resources, military, political system…) → not static, but
shapes balance of power between polities 2) outputs/effective influence.
S39: 2) political organization: all kinds, and although state seemed to become irrelevant:
nationalism!
S40: 3) interaction between political units: why often stated IR become peaceful but war > peace.
S41: 4) relationship between people and the planet: global warming, food scarcity…
S42: 5) evolution of nature of world politics: after 1991: liberals: optimism, need democracy &
interdependence = no war. Constructivists: need international norms, NO selfish national interests
BUT focus common good. Realists: polities will always want autonomy, security… → peace &
corporation = unlikely. Idealists: institutions, cooperation, peace is possible & necessary.
→ shift from optimist idealism to pessimist realism.
Book: 3000 years, 1st millennium BCE until 21stC. Each chapter = 2-3 centuries, focus: most important
region. SO: sub-Saharan Africa & Americas: less focus.
Chapter 1: Heavens Obscured - The prelude: before 1000 BCE
Prior 1000 BCE = transition Bronze to Iron age = 1st period with widespread written evidence on foreign
relations. = in most primitive incarnation, e.g. among tribes = the natural state.
Then: shift to 1st cities, etc. End in 4 centres of political power: 1) Egypt, 2) fertile crescent of
Mesopotamia, 3) North China Plain, 4) Indo-Gangetic Plain.
1 Worlds apart
2 worlds/geopolitical complexes: 1) Eastern Hemisphere (Africa, Asia, Eu) 2) Western hemisphere
(Americas). → separate: no permanent trade until 16 thC.
1) cradle of civilization: Alpide Belt = mountain chain with perfect conditions for permanent human
settlement.
2) far later inhabited: at most: fruitful Mississippi.
Natural potential often NOT used effectively → Why? → only 60 million people = emptiness, AND
distributed unevenly.
Family clans: main social unit. Largest cities only 100,000.
2
,Most important: holy trinity of natural resources: water, fertile soil & temperate climate. → earliest
imperial powers: Egypt & Mesopotamia → already 1000 BCE: 1000yrs development. Also partly China,
Indo-Gangetic Plains, etc.
2 The natural state (‘age of innocence’)
= peace or war?
1) Rousseau: cooperation necessary to survive → evidence confirmed: tribes less fights than
developed societies because life = too precious. Messengers = privilege to cross borders. BUT
2) also war: scarce evidence: metal weapons (= symbols masculinity), women as slaves, mass graves
→ warfare before Iron Age often led to extermination of entire communities.
Causes? → theft of livestock, abduct women, competition natural resources, rivalry for leadership…
BUT aware of value of life.
3 Bringer of Spoils (= name for ‘Kings’)
Late 2nd millennium = minor kingdoms & trading cities = similar as tribes BUT more evidence: Homer:
Fortified cities in perpetual competition for wealth, power & honour.
Important in early interstate relations: marriage as diplomatic partnerships. Messengers: treaties
based on oaths.
IR Ugarit (between Egypt & Mesopotamia): controlling trade, formed alliances, economic warfare
avant la lettre. BUT: collapse (by ‘Sea Peoples’), also Hattusha (capital of Hittites) → led to Dark ages
of the Eastern Mediterranean (1200-1000BCE) = begin of Bronze Age collapse. Cause: environmental
crisis, drought, mass migration-turned invasion, collapse of trade.
Treaty of Kadesh (1259) – world oldest peace treaty between Hittites & Egypt. BUT 1180: Hittites went
down.
4 Egypt
Agricultural centre, 1st imperial tradition because fertility: granary = power. 2 harvests/year. 3-4
million people around River Nile & its delta. BUT: disease & other: died before 30, periods of instability
& subjugation by foreign invaders. Egypt for outsiders was the ultimate trophy → most important for
rulers was to provide security, stability & harmony (meant hierarchy) = ‘Maat’. Clear Egyptian
supremacy over inferior kings AND subjects.
BUT: descent from golden age: anarchy & war fatigue arose from 13thC. Fatal blow: 10thC: Chief of
Libya – a foreign dynasty - became pharaoh of Egypt.
BUT imperial interpretation of Maat always lived on: conquerors preferred to adopt Egyptian imperial
tradition rather than destroying it.
3
, 5 Mesopotamia (Greek for land between the rivers)
More complex environment & geography. Between Tigris & Euphrates. Conquered by Akkadians,
Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians. Governance: against tax abuse income inequality, mistreatment
women… Under King Hammurabi 1750: oldest code of law on property, prisoners & rights of women.
After him, Babylon only downhill. As in Egypt, Iron age came in turmoil: drier climate, mass
migration…
6 China
North China Plain = 400,000km2 fertile land along Yellow river = 5% today’s China (only formed in
18thC). Mostly farmland by Wei & Qi, often war. Decline Shang dynasty, especially millions in battle of
Muye in 1046 → arrival Zhou: king was son of heaven; the centre off the world under heaven → China
= middle kingdom. Peace = goal.
China politics as Mesopotamia & Egypt when start Iron Age.
7 South Asia
Indo-Gangetic plain with rivers Indus, Ganges & Brahmaputra. Until EU colonists 16thC: only nomads
as external threats. Bronze age: Indus Valley = Harappa Civilisation (3000-1300BCE), after: only tribes
& little kingdoms. Slowly, migration/invasion (socially): of Vedic civilisation: foundation Hinduism. =
castes. 1st: anarchy, until 5thC: 1 state hegemony over neighbours, 4thC: large part subcontinent under
control 1 empire: Maurya.
Harmony = goddess of fortune, Lakshmi & husband Vishnu of peace & justice. Yet, often war.
4
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