Grant Eagleson

Gray
Essay 222
455 Words

The quotation The superpower is actually the power of the people is an exceedingly
profound statement, and inspires immediate analysis. To assist in our understanding of the
quote, we can examine it using different international relations theories. From a Liberal
perspective, individuals and private groups (Slaughter) are the important actors, and the power
truly comes from the people. A constructivist viewpoint would indicate that societal
consequences render a superpower under the rule of the general population. Subsequently, a
Realist frame of reference demonstrates that a state acts in the interest of power and survival
for its people.
In a Liberal theorists view of the world, a state is not the decisive actor in the political
world. The states job is to serve the interests of its people, so therefore the will of the majority
decides what kind of actions a nation takes or what policies it implements. The writing of Anne-
Marie Slaughter reinforces this idea, with the claim that states are configurations of individual
and group interests who then project those interests into the international system (Slaughter
15). While the superpower is the one engaging with other states on the global stage, its
decisions are the result of its people.
Constructivism offers a complementary outlook, but without a focus on directly serving
the interests of a nations population. The leverage the people have over the superpower is
the result of history, ideas, norms, and beliefs (Slaughter 17) that shape behaviors and place
certain expected tendencies on a actor. The ideals of the people are represented by their
choice of government and leaders, whose decisions will then reflect the collective society of the
state that is responsible for their power. The significance of the people on a superpower can be
compounded through non-governmental organizations, whose principles and clout have great
impact when they wish to alter a states actions.
In a Realist framework, one might find it difficult to see how our quote could be
attributed. The realist state is acting in the interests of surviving and gaining power, is it not? Yet
these priorities serve no purpose unless there is a population to reap the benefits. A state only
continues to exist as long as its people remain present, meaning that every action it takes is for
the prosperity of its people. The Realist superpower is only effective due to the power it gives to
its people.
The deep comprehension of The superpower is actually the power of the people is
possible with a range of international relations theories, all of which indicate the truth of the
statement. Every theory expounds the reasons behind a states actions, but all behaviors
fundamentally ensure the strength and welfare of the people so the superpower survives.