Do states act with interests in mind or ideas?

According to Hobbs and Bull, politics works very differently in domestic politics (under sovereign) than in international politics (in anarchy). This epiphany seems a bit obvious to me because the key actors we encounter domestically (culture, beliefs, values) could very well be different from the key actors we encounter with internationally (culture, beliefs, values). Another theorist I researched states that “this difference between domestic and international politics requires us to think about each realm of politics separately” (Waltz). Both theories along with reading Ideas and Foreign Policy by Judith Goldstein and Robert Kehone got me thinking about the Ideas vs Interest argument and the question if states act with interest in mind or ideas. I think if you truly understand who you are interacting with then you will understand that ideas vs interest is not truly argument at all, maybe ideas and interest are not only intertwined but have a profound impact on how we interact with key actors on the international and domestic front.

Just as Sikkink states on pages 199-200 in Ideas and Foreign Policy by Judith Goldstein and Robert Kehone   “the separation of ideas of interest is fundamentally flawed. Political and ideological factors influence the very meaning and interpretation of economic ideas … “(material interest)”. I interpret this as saying, in order to really understand the key actors in the international playing field, you have to understand the birth of an idea and the intent or interest when in order to truly understand actors you may encounter. With this said, you really have to understand what the word idea truly means.

In Chapter 1 of Ideas and Foreign Policy by Judith Goldstein and Robert Kehone the concept of Ideas was defined as belief held by individuals. Hmm…beliefs held by individuals, is it that simple? 

That statement got me thinking… in order to solidify my opinion on Ideas vs. Interests, I first must understand the meaning of the word idea. So I did some research, the word idea comes from the Greek word of idein which means “to see” I did further research and found the durative of  idein was eidos which means “the formed content of a culture encompassing its’s systems of ideas, criteria interpreting experience” (Plato).  I interpret this as saying to me that there is a connection between ideas and culture which means ideas may come from within but the culture and systems you are born into or grow up in have a profound impact on your ideas and thinking in turn, will define the level of interest(self-interest as stated in our live session).  I mention this because doesn’t ones interest and how committed you are to that interest derives from ones experiences and cultural ideas? Whether you agree with them or not, it will behoove you to make an effort to understand the connection between ones ideas and interests (arises when external conflict or constraints are present) when developing policy, policy changes, or just trying to understand where a person is coming from.