The State Level Analysis

Governmental, Societal and Attributes of the State

State Level-Analysis
It involves examining the features of a country to see which of these factors affect foreign policy. The focus is on what goes on within states that ultimately has an effect on what goes between states.

State Level Analysis

This level examines the features of the country to determine what factors shape the foreign policy. This level takes into account leaders and the leadership as important factors but takes into account a country-specific level. The focus at this level is what goes within the state that ultimately has an impact on what goes on between

State Level Analysis

The underlying assumption of this level of analysis is that a certain national attribute (or some combination of attributes) influences the way states behave.

States with similar characteristics behave in a similar manner. Personality variables and the psychological make up of national leaders are relatively unimportant since the attributes if the state itself compel decisionmakers to act in certain consistent manner.

State Level Analysis

States vary in their foreign policy experiences, perhaps this has something to do with some fundamental differences in the attributes that these states possess.

State Level Analysis

Governmental type. Type of economic system. Certain demographic, cultural, physical, or geographic or national attributes. attributes of the state. Degree of political instability that exist in the state.

Governmental Type
There are two broad types of factors that are examined at the state level: Governmental factorstype of political system, the type of regime, the division of powers, bureaucratic politics among government agencies, and the size and institutionalization of bureaucracies. Societal factors-include the economic system, history, the ethnic composition population, interest groups, media, and public opinion.

Governmental Structure
The structure of governmentor organizationin which the decision makers operate. Democratic system of government with frequent and truly competitive election will pose a different set of opportunities and constrains than will an authoritarian regime. Democratic regime needs to build a wider base of support while in an authoritarian system, a government can operate its foreign policy on a narrower base.

Societal Characteristics
The non-governmental characteristics of the society as whole that affect or condition foreign policy choices. Big countries have more resources at their disposal that enables them project greater capabilities abroad. In contrast, small and poor countries have less resources and are likely to be deeply penetrated by big and powerful countries.

Economic System: Capitalism and business cycles

John Hobson and V.I. Lenins theories of imperialism. The business cycle theorythe foreign policy of a country is large influenced by economic distress and depression.

Power, Size, and Development

Large and powerful states behave differently from middle and small size states. Large states tend to be more active in global affairs as they get involve in conflicts, they participate more in international organizations and multilateral organizations and have more international commitments, and have greater capacity to act in international affairs than small states.

Power, Size, and Development

Large states are more likely to feel a responsibility in the international arenato affect the balance of power and manage the international political economy.

Power, Size, and Development

Leaders of large states are also more likely to hold and values their national role conceptions, which picture their states as responsible for maintaining certain international values, defending the status quo, and ensuring the world order.

National Self-Image
It refers to the idealized stereotypes of the in-nation that is culturally shared and perpetuated. It contains a message (implicit or explicit) about those outside the nationour nation is the best, therefore other nations are not as good. This culturally shared and perpetuated belief is complemented by the belief that the nation is alone in the world, that it cannot expect any help from other societies in times of crises or needs.

Attributes of the State:

Scapegoat theory of foreign policystates that are beset with deteriorating economic conditions, ethnic divisions, increasing political opposition or civil strife will have a different foreign policy compared to states that have stable domestic conditions.

Attributes of the State

Revolutionary states and their foreign policystates that have undergone a revolutionary or violent struggles and a radical transformation of its ancient regime will have a different foreign policy that stable states. This is because they are likely to receive a chilly welcome from the international community and political elites of these states may perceive the international environment has hostile or threatening.

Limits of the Second Level Analysis

Harold and Margaret Sprout rejected the idea that the behavior of the nation is determined primarily by objective environmental factors such as states size, geographical position, or type of government. This is because these state-level analyses must first be perceived and taken into account by the decisionmakers, thus emphasizing the importance of perception and national role conception as important mechanism in the conduct of foreign policy.

Do state-level variables matter?

State-level factors can only affect foreign policy if they are actually perceived and taken into account by decision-makers. State-level factors can limit, restrain, and control outcomes of foreign policy decisions made by individual decision-makers.

Yes they do, but

A comprehensive theory of foreign policy will require taking into account variables at different levels of analysis. Certain statelevel variables, such as size and power , may affect foreign decisions only if decision-makers take them into account. This individual-level variables, such as perception and national role conceptions, operate as mechanism through which these statelevel factor can operate to affect foreign policy.