International security

International security refers to the measures taken by states and international organizations to ensure mutual survival. These organizations include groups like the United Nations and the European Union. To maintain safety, actors use military actions and diplomatic agreements. These agreements often take the form of treaties or conventions. International security is essentially national security viewed on a global scale. Because the safety of one nation affects others, these concepts are always linked.

The study of this subject emerged as a distinct academic field after World War II. This field is known as security studies. Initially, it functioned as an independent area of research. Over time, it was absorbed into the broader field of international relations. Since the 1950s, security studies has remained a central part of studying how the world works. It encompasses several specialized areas, including strategic studies and peace studies.

In the past, the definition of security was quite narrow. The traditional approach focused almost exclusively on military concerns and state power. This paradigm viewed the nation-state as the primary object of security. During the Cold War, this approach reached its peak. For nearly fifty years, major world powers relied on a balance of power to maintain stability. This system relied on the absolute sovereignty of nation-states and the military build-up between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Today, the scope of international security has expanded significantly. It now covers many interconnected issues that affect human survival. Beyond conventional military power, it includes economic strength and energy supplies. It also addresses ethnic, religious, and ideological conflicts. Modern security studies look at science, technology, and food supplies. Furthermore, it includes threats like infectious diseases, climate change, and environmental degradation. It even considers the activities of non-state actors, such as NGOs or local governments.

Different thinkers have proposed various ways to define security. Walter Lippmann suggested that security is a country's ability to protect its core values. This means a state should not have to sacrifice its values to avoid war. Conversely, David Baldwin argued that pursuing security might require sacrificing certain values. Richard Ullman suggested that security can be defined as a decrease in vulnerability. Arnold Wolfers viewed security as a normative term. This means nations use the concept to decide if an action is rational or moral.

One major theoretical framework is realism. Realism is the foundation of contemporary security studies. It draws from ancient thinkers like Sun Tzu and Thucydides, as well as modern writers like Hobbes and Machiavelli. Realists believe the international system is characterized by anarchy. In this context, anarchy means there is no central power to regulate how states interact. Classical realism suggests that bad outcomes often happen because the people making foreign policy are sometimes bad. Neorealism, developed by Kenneth Waltz in the 1960s, focuses on how the structure of the state system affects interactions.

Another major theory is liberalism, which became prominent after World War I. Liberalism includes ideas from philosophers like Immanuel Kant. Kant's concept of "Perpetual Peace" is a starting point for modern liberal thought. A key branch is economic liberalism. This theory assumes that economic openness and interdependence make countries more peaceful. Eric Gartzke noted that economic freedom might be 50 times more effective than democracy in creating peace. This suggests that trade and economic connections can act as a tool for global stability.