What are the points of agreement and the points of disagreement between neorealism and the power transition theory?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Ans: They agree that states are the central players in international relations and that states are unitary rational players. They also agree that power is important to international relations. They disagree on the objectives that states pursue. The neorealists claim that states seek to maximize security and seek power so long as it does not diminish their security; the PTT argues that states seek to achieve policy objectives by promoting rules and norms that govern international interactions. They also disagree about the role of uncertainty. The neorealists see uncertainty as the main cause of war; the PTT does not refer to uncertainty. In addition, the neorealists claim that the balance of power makes war less likely, whereas the PTT argues the opposite--that war is more likely when the challenger and the dominant state are about equal in power. Finally, they disagree on the role of alliances. In neorealism, alliances are an important tool in acquiring power and balancing against threats; in PTT, power can be acquired only through internal growth and not through alliances.