The English School

Arnav & Isabelle

A brief background
Other names: Liberal Realism, The International
Society School and British institution-st School
IR theory conceived in the 1950s
Appeared in the works of Herbert Butterfield(chairman
of the then newly founded British Committee on the
Theory of International Politics.)

Realism & Idealism

Realist Critique of Liberalism: Whether the
development of a moral obligation is key to building
peaceful international relations.

Liberalist Critique of Realism: Realism was

unjustifiably pessimistic about prospect of new order
based on law

English Schools Understanding

of the Debate

English school recognizes that each approach contains insights on

condition of international politics

Agreement with Realists: States are forced to provide security in a

condition of anarchy.

Liberalist Tilt: The international system is not a state of war because

common interests place restraint on the use of force. Thus, the English
School takes argument of global reform seriously in its theory

Foundational Claims
Sovereign states form a society, albeit an anarchical
one. There is a high level of order, and low level of
violence, given that their condition is of anarchy.
international politics are shaped primarily by
ideas(morals, values, history etc.) rather than material
capabilities(military power, strategic power etc.).

Key Figures

Herbert Butterfield (1900-1979)

Martin Wight (1913-1972)Hedley Bull (1932-1985)

Interpretive Mode of Enquiry

Classical Approach: The approach that derives from philosophy, history

and law, that is characterized by the explicit reliance on judgment(Hedley
Bull)

1.

Subject Matter of IR: Establishing general propositions about global

political system by which he meant states, regions, institutions, NGOs.

2.

Importance of History: Academic knowledge needs to have historical

depth. Also, different historical understandings are important to the
diplomacy of Human Rights

3. No Escape from Values: Important to be aware of

ones values and be subject to critical scrutiny. Values
inform selection of topic to be studied.

4. IR is fundamentally a normative enterprise: Central

problem in world politics: construct a world society that
is both orderly & just. Elaborating the context within
which actors take decisions as well as understanding that
in politics; values are irreconcilable.

 International System

Hobbes and Thucydides

- International system: A value- and moral-free place of anarchy
where states live under the constant fear of attack (Security
Dilemma)
- Cooperation between states is essential
Machiavelli
The international system is anarchical, with no natural equilibrium
of power among states
The English School
- The international system, while anarchical in structure, is a
society of states where common norms and interests allow for
order and stability

 World Society

Kants Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical sketch:

- The Civil Constitution of every state should be Republican
- The law of nations shall be founded on a federation of free states
- The law of world citizenship shall be limited to conditions of
universal hospitality
Barry Buzan
- the idea of shared norms and values at the individual level but
transcending the state.
- Society cannot develop further without parallel development in
its corresponding world society.

International Society
According to Bulls classical definition, an
international society comes into being when a group
of states, conscious of certain common interests and
values form a society in a sense that they conceive
themselves to be bound by a common set of rules in
their relations with one another, and share in the
working of common institutions.

Salient Features of the IS

Confined to the sovereign states+
recognition of mutual rights of the states.
Additionally, actors must have certain
common interests such as trade, freedom of
travel and stability.

States are not the only members of the IS:

INGOs, transnational organizations are
members of the IS as well.

English Schools View of

International Society
English school is interested in the processes
which transform system of states into
societies of states and in the norms and
institutions which prevent the collapse of
civility and re-emergence of unbridled
power.

Types of International
Society
1. Solidarist or Grotian
2. Pluralist

Solidarist/Grotian
international Society
Solidarity or potential solidarity of states
comprising international society, with
respect to the enforcement of international
law.

Based in Grotian Conception that there is a

clear distinction b/w just and unjust wars
Idea of Human rights draws heavily from it.

Pluralist International
Society
Based on Vettel rejection of Grotius idea.
States do not exhibit solidarity of this kind, but are
capable of agreeing only for certain minimum purposes
Bulls conclusion: Expectations of solidarity were
premature.
This is b/c of the clash b/w primary goals of the
international society: sovereignity vs. Balance of power.
Efforts to apply justice to international relations has
yielded different

QUIZ: who is the actor for the US in the

IS according to the English School?

What it Means for the state

to Act
Representatives and office holders act on
behalf of the state. Diplomatic and foreign
policy eliteReal agents of the international
society.

Constraints on the IS: Anarchical order;

Hence, IS is a tolerable order and not a
harmonious one.

Revolt against the West and

Expansion of the intl. Society
Cultural Conflict & Cosmopolitan culture of
modernity developing in tandem.
Whether diverse civilizations brought together by
Europe have similar views about how to maintain
international order.
Types of Revolt: Legal, Political, Racial,
Economic(Bull)
Reflects the desire of non-European countries to
emulate the Wests path of social and political
development

Progress in the
International Order
Linklater The English School is about
progress in the form of agreements about
how to maintain order, and to a lesser
degree about how to promote support for
principles of justice.
This progress cannot be achieved with an
establishment of a world political
organization
Question: How can this Progress be
achieved?

Human Rights
Extension of international law from
exclusive rights on sovereign states:
Significant normative shift in the character
of world politics.
1990s: HR established an institutional
presence that matched its rhetorical power.

Dynamics of Change
Intrusion of Human Rights into the
Diplomacy of the Western States: Jimmy
Carters Human Rights Diplomacy,
participation of Norway and The
Netherlands.

Within The European Community, and

EU(after 1993) respect for human rights- a
condition for membership

Helsinki Final
Act(1975)
Result of negotiation b/w 35 states involved in the
conference of Security and Cooperation in
Europe(CSCE).
Eastern European Countries were desperate to
normalize relationship with the rest of Europe.
Condition: Shared commitments to Fundamentals
of HR
Initially, resisted by Communist state, they
eventually yielded to realize their gains in other
areas.

Discussion Question
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhjfxZHOT
_o
(0:41-1:00)
Do you Agree with what is said in the video?

Criticisms

Barry Buzan

Kenneth
Waltz

Chris Brown