Realism: strategic approach to energy security
Petr Ocelík
ESS419 International Relations Theory and Energy Security
15th October 2015
Outline
• Realism in International Relations.
• Realism: agency and structure.
• Realism and energy: issues.
Realism in IR
• International system (IS) is anarchically organized.
• The IS is structured by distribution of material capabilities.
• The IS consists of national states, self-help units, that seek survival.
• Conflict is an inherent feature of IS.
• There is a clear distinction between international and domestic level.
Neoclassical geopolitics (NG)
• NG shares number of Realist assumptions.
• State-centrism.
• Emphasizes power distribution and military forces.
• Conflict as an inherent feature of international system.
• NG emphasizes and focus on geographical factors.
• Geographical space shapes opportunities and constraints of actors’
behavior.
• Energy arena: security of transport routes, chokepoints, control of
production areas, and pipeline policies.
Agency
• Agency: concept of a social actor.
• Actor: an entity that is able to make decisions.
• Realism rejects optimistic liberal view of agency.
• Two variants:
• Classical Realism: agency connected to ambivalent human nature.
• Neoclassical Realism: agency based on rational actor mode where actors
maximize their security.
Agency: national capabilities
• Most important feature: power capability.
• Seen in material terms.
• Composite Index of National Capabilities.
• 6 indicators:
• Total population.
• Urban population.
• Steel and iron production.
• TPES
• Military expenditures.
• Number of military forces.
Structure: polarity
• Structure: a context that enables and constraints actions of actors.
• Realism: distribution of power capabilities.
• Based on the distribution different configurations of IR are
recognized:
• Unipolar
• Bipolar
• Tripolar
• Multipolar
• Diffused
Structure: balance of power
• Balance of power mechanism mediates structural effects.
• Two conditions of balancing (Waltz 1979: 121):
• International system must be anarchical.
• System must consists of units that seek survival.
• It is distinguished between internal and external balancing:
• Internal balancing: e.g. military build-up.
• External balancing: e.g. alliance formation.
Structure: security dilemma
• The inherent uncertainty of anarchical system and self-help nature of
states lead to security dilemma.
• Since security is seen as a zero-sum game  security gain of one
state brings security loss of another.
• Result: escalating spiral of armament (an arms race).
• Introduced by John Herz (1950).
• Solutions:
• Balancing
• Bandwagoning
• Hegemony
• (Collective security)
Structure: security dilemma
“Wherever ... anarchic society has existed ... there has arisen what may
be called the ‘security dilemma’ of men, or groups, or their leaders.
Groups or individuals living in such a constellation must be, and usually
are, concerned about their security from being attacked, subjected,
dominated, or annihilated by other groups and individuals. Striving to
attain security from such attack, they are driven to acquire more and
more power in order to escape the impact of the power of others. This,
in turn, renders the others ore insecure and compels them to prepare
for the worst. Since none can ever feel entirely secure in such world of
competing units, power competition ensues, and the vicious circle of
security and power accumulation is on.” (Herz 1950: 157)
Structure: (energy) security dilemma
• Two approaches to energy security dilemma.
• (1) States have to choose between market effectivity and control over
the energy markets.
• (2) “Diversification race”: diversification of importer/exporter
increases vulnerability of importer/exporter.
Conflict over resources
• National resources are dominant sources of power (Klare 2008).
• Energy resources are integral part of the national states’ power
capabilities.
• Strategic nature of energy resources is given by:
• Limited amount and availability of these resources.
• Relative scarcity of its substitutes.
• In combination with anarchical nature of IR  pushes states towards
competition over resources.
Self-sufficiency
• State is able to satisfy its whole consumption from domestic
resources.
• Self-sufficiency vs. autarky (or independence).
• Latter assumes independence of external influences.
• Self-sufficiency often not a realistic option.
Economic nationalism
• Approach that evaluates economic policies based on their
contribution to state power.
• Economic mercantilism: accumulation of scarce resources.
• Strategic trade: state support of strategically important companies.
Energy security: strategic approach
“War, war never changes.”
• State-centrism: state as a key actor.
• The main goal is survival.
• State interactions governed by balance of power mechanism.
• Energy commodities are considered as a source of power.
• Energy comm. might be causes and means of conflict.
• Limited amount of energy comm.: zero sum game.
• Emphasis on relative gains.
 Militarization of energy issues (logic of war, Ciuta 2010)