The New Europe
Kagan: Of Power
and Paradise
Robert Kagan
Argues that when it
comes to power, Americans and Europeans are from two different planets
|
|
US |
Europe |
|
Planetary Influence |
|
|
|
IR Theory |
Realism |
Idealism |
|
World View |
Hobbesian Anarchy (with Leviathan to keep the peace) |
Kant’s Perpetual Peace |
|
Strives to Preserve |
Power |
Peace |
American and European Caricatures
of Each Other
Americans:
Stereotype Europeans as weak-willed, socialist wimps who can afford to be
“idealistic” and concerned with “social exclusion” because we are protecting
their asses!
Europeans: Stereotype
Americans as gun-toting and power-tripping
cowboys with itchy trigger fingers
Preferred Tactics in IR
Americans:
unilateralism, loathe to enter into internationally binding agreements,
military force
Europeans: multilateralism,
invested heavily in international agreements and institutions, diplomacy, force
as last resort
Chavinism in Kagan's
argument
Ben Franklin "the
cause of America is the cause of all mankind" (88)
that American
institutions are moving constantly toward "perfection" (88)
Post-1989 realities:
Is there still “a West?” If so,
what holds it together?