$18.

9 trillion = current US national debt

$4 trillion = cost of Afghanistan and Iraq intervention including oil trade loss, supplies,
troops and benefits

Can the US afford to fight new terrorist groups, such as ISIS, given its national debt?
Can the US ignore the rise of new security threats despite the risk for US citizens?

Outline
Collective Goods Problem
The State and the International System
Discussion

"State" in this class refers to countries, IR is about relations BETWEEN states instead of
domestic policies

Collective Goods Problem

Collective goods are a stable economy, world peace, healthy environment that benefit
everyone

o We all have to work for it, or else it will or be enough (ex. one state caring about
the environment will not drive results)

Many states worry about short-term individual benefits, try to become a free-rider or
refuse to work with others based on conflicts of interest

Ex. Fighting Terrorism is a "Collective Goods Problem"

o Everyone benefits from stability and international security

Fighting terrorist costs is costly, not everyone has the capability to contribute or the
desire for countries not directly affected

Ultimately, not many states want to comply in order to solve collective good problems
 Some states "free-ride" by benefiting from the existence of collective goods without
directly paying the costs

How do you solve the collective goods problem?

1. Dominance

o Hegemons/superpowers set the rules and enforce everyone to follow them

o Advantage: provides stability

o Disadvantage: larger, more powerful countries will not agree with the dominant
power

Ex. increasing anti-Americanism around the world, dominance makes

you a target

2. Reciprocity

o Carrots and sticks strategy, "you scratch my back, I scratch yours"

o Advantages: incentive to cooperate rather than fight (like free trade)

o Disadvantage: "an eye for an eye"

3. Identity

o Family of countries from similar historical/cultural backgrounds cooperate and

help each other

o Advantage: great if you are part of the family

o Disadvantage: problem if you are an outcast, think about Israel surrounded by

Arab states

What solutions would work best?

The State and the International System

 Current system vs. Empires => now more democratic, most people identify directly with
their state as citizens

Treaty of Westphalia (1648)

Considered to be the start of the current international system

Ends the 30 Years' War between Protestants and Catholics

Establishes secularism, concludes the Holy Roman Empire

1. Establishes Sovereignty

o Means having the sole authority to make and to enforce laws over a
certain territory