IR Theory Core Assumptions
Marxism (1) The state is an agent of the
bourgeoisie and a means of
exploitation of the proletariat. The
national interest of the state is
determined by the interest of its
bourgeoisie class, who overpowers
the proletariat; and the proletariat in
return is manipulated by the so-
called “nationalism” to support the
interests of their state.
(2) Advocates for the freeing of the
people from capitalism in order to
achieve a global concept of
citizenship. Capitalism has created a
major social conflict between the
bourgeoisie and the proletariat,
wherein the latter receive lower
wages for the sake of the expansion
of the wealth of the bourgeoisie.
Through the conception of global
citizenship, which is caused by
capitalism and the modern state
system that builds oppression,
people will be united.
(3) Believe that wealth will be
better distributed to the world if a
system is not real and fixed. Fixed
borders are created through the
social gap caused by capitalism.
These borders result in dependency
and inequality by restricting access
to resources and labor.
Proponents/Pioneers
Karl Marx together with Friedrich
Engels developed the Marxism
theory.
Rosa Luxemburg, Rudolf
Hilferding, and Vladimir Lenin
developed the classical theories of
imperialism. Their theories all
regarded imperialism as the final
stage, result, or expansion after
capitalism which would result in a
world of inter-imperial rivalry
leading to the First World War and
to the slow disintegration of the
European empires.
Sample Cases/Illustrations
Economic Borders: Migrants or Refugees
For example, being a migrant who is fleeing a
country because of persecution is a necessary
condition according to international law for applying
for asylum and becoming a refugee in a host state.
The reality of being this particular type of migrant is
dependent on a specific treaty and the will of the
states to consent to it - the 1951 Refugee Convention.
World Systems Theory
The World Systems Theory by Emmanuel
Wallerstein elaborates more on why states’ interest is
for the dominant economic class. He distinguished
three groups of states or regions: the core, the semi-
periphery, and the periphery. The core is able to
produce high-profit consumption goods for itself as
well as for the semi-periphery and periphery markets
because the periphery provides the cheap labor and
raw materials to the core and semi-periphery
necessary to make these high-profit consumption
goods.
Concept of Hegemony
Antonio Gramsci explains through the concept of
hegemony how capitalism and its inequalities
reproduce itself using consensual ways. This is
shown in our world with the success of the neoliberal
model adapted by the Four Asian Tigers, Singapore,
Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan. Their high
growth rates and rapid industrialization made other
states want to emulate this perceived success.
However, this resulted in vast inequalities and
various human rights violations in many societies
despite the neoliberal hegemony concept of “an
active and free consent”.
ABPOLSCI 2-A Chavez, Jaymar S. Combatir, Jose Emilio Luis T. Villacarlos, Ericah M.