Editing International Relations (section)

== <span style="color: #FFFFFF;">Understanding</span> ==
The world looks different depending on the "lens" (theory) you use.

'''1. Realism (The "Billiard Ball" View)''': States are the primary actors. They are rational, unitary, and their goal is survival. The world is a "zero-sum game"—if you gain power, I lose it. Security is found through strength and alliances.

'''2. Liberalism (The "Web" View)''': States are not the only actors. International organizations (like the UN or WTO) and trade create "Interdependence." If we are all making money together, war becomes too expensive. Democracy and law can mitigate the effects of anarchy.

'''3. Constructivism (The "Social" View)''': "Anarchy is what states make of it." The international system isn't just fixed laws of power; it's built on ideas. If everyone ''believes'' that sovereignty is sacred, it becomes a reality. If we change our identities (e.g., moving from "Rivals" to "Partners" like France and Germany after WWII), the whole system changes.

'''The Level of Analysis''': IR scholars look at
# '''The Individual''' (the personality of leaders),
# '''The State''' (is it a democracy or a dictatorship?), and
# '''The System''' (the distribution of power globally).
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