Foreign Policy

The Making Process

Understanding Foreign
Policy

 What is Foreign Policy?

 Making Foreign Policy:

(Goals, Methods, Capabilities).

 Who has a Foreign Policy?

 Studying Foreign Policy

 Determinants of Foreign Policy.

 Rational Decision Making

 Foreign Policy Tools

- Constraints on Foreign Policy

Determinants
of Foreign Policy Behavior

Geopolitics
Global Influences
Military

State Influences Economy

Government
Individual Leadership
Influences

Making F.P.

DECISIONS
Determinants
of Foreign Policy Behavior
 GLOBAL INFLUENCES:
Geopolitics:
- Location, Topography, Size (Population
and Territory), Distance from other
states ...
- Ex.: UK, USA, China, Germany,
Switzerland, Latin American Countries...
- Ex.: Egypt (Suez Canal).
Determinants
of Foreign Policy Behavior
 STATE INFLUENCES:
1. Military Capabilities:
- Ability to achieve FP goals vary
according to a state’s military
capabilities.
- Military capabilities can limit a
state’s range of prudent policy
choices.
- Ex.: Preemptive War (Iraq 2003).
10 Major Military Powers
Persons in Of these, Defense Nuclear
uniform Air Force Budget Weapons
China 2,930,000 470,000 8.4 YES
France 398,900 88,600 38.5 YES
Germany 358,400 77,100 31.9 NO
GB 226,000 65,000 32.5 YES
India 1,145,000 110,000 8.4 YES
Israel 175,000 32,000 7.0 RUMORED
Italy 325,150 68,000 20.0 NO
Japan 235,500 44,500 45.1 NO
Russia 1,270,000 145,000 48.0 YES
USA 1,483,800 388,200 268.8 YES
Source: International Institute for Strategic Studies (London), the
Military Balance, 1996-1997.
Determinants
of Foreign Policy Behavior
 STATE INFLUENCES:
2. Economic Conditions:
- Includes not only economic development,
but also natural resources.
- The connection between economic
development and military capabilities.
- How Economy influences Foreign Policy?
- Ex.: Germany, USA, Latin American
Countries, Saudi Arabia & other Gulf
Determinants
of Foreign Policy Behavior
 STATE INFLUENCES:
3. Type of Government:
- Neorealism: All States will Act Similarly to
Protect their Interests.
- Constitutional Democracies versus
Autocracies.
- Ex.: USA, UK, Germany, Saudi Arabia,
Egypt ....
- Ex.: Italy (Prodi’s regime 2006)