Conversations with History: Kenneth Waltz

On this edition of Conversations with History, UC Berkeley's Harry Kreisler talks with renowned political scientist Kenneth N. Waltz, about theory, international politics, and the U.S. role in world affairs. Series: "Conversations with History" [6/2003] [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 7386]

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  Education

[rpaddon]

His idea of anarchy is a lack of government. There is no supra-national government that is able to effect the behavior of a state. The UN has no teeth and has been shown to be ineffective.

The State is still supreme, though the nature of the game has changed. The military is no longer the primary way that states attain power, economic coercion has become increasingly important in a world where large scale conflict is avoided as much as possible.

[Marzio Maria Cimini]

Great! Kenneth RULEZ!

[Patrick Thompson]

rip </3

[carolinaus123]

R.I.P. Kenneth Waltz :(

[trinisuprazee]

R.I.P Kenneth Waltz. True giant of International Relations

[yakup gunesh]

why do teachers of Dokuz Eylül University love Waltz so much, do not understand...:)

[freedumb32]

In other words they aren't sovereign at all.  Or, if you like, they are as sovereign as their most powerful patrons or members.

[freedumb32]

His theories are not incoherent. If they accurately explain phenomena is another issue, but Waltz is one of the most coherent and articulate theorists to have ever bothered with the subject.

[freedumb32]

What makes an international power a *power* is its capacity for force, because that is what backs diplomacy. The argument is that there is no state that coerces all states, no supranational sovereign. What's left is "international anarchy," which isn't chaos, but an ordering principle which creates an economy of power where military capabilities produce a hierarchy of states.

[pacificislandsguy]

this is an absolutely amazing series ... a real treasure trove of some of the greatest minds in recent history. I wish the interviewer would not ask such long pontificating questions - he looks like such an intellectual midget against these greats... he should not try to debate them just ask short intro questions....