Human nature and world politics: Cognition, identity, and influence

Many psychologists deem it self-evident that psychology can make fundamental contributions to our understanding of world politics. Many social scientists, however, argue that policymakers are tightly constrained by macro political and economic forces. This article will advance a systemic approach to world politics that challenges: (a) psychologists by highlighting ways in which macro social structures may transform the character of ` ̀ basic ’ ’ intrapsychic processes; (b) anti-psychological theorists by showing that even the most sweepingly deterministic macro claimsÐ for example, claims about the power of free trade to promote peaceÐ rest on controversial assumptions about human nature. Systemic approaches to world politics are far more consistent with how seasoned diplomatsÐ from Dag HammarskjoÈ ld to Henry KissingerÐ have historically approached geopolitical problems than are the traditional but increasingly obsolete micro and macro dualities that have dominated academic analyses. De nombreux psychologues acceptent d’emble e que la psychologie peut avoir une contribution fondamentale aÁ notre compre hension des politiques mondiales. Cependant de nombreux scientistes sociaux soutennent que les de cideurs sont contraints par de puissantes forces macro-politiques et macro-e conomiques. Cet article propose une approche syste mique des politiques mondiales qui met au de ® : (a) les psychologues en mettant en valeur la manieÁ re dont les structures macro-sociales transforment la nature de processus intrapsychiques fondamentaux; et (b) les the oriciens anti-psychologiques en montrant que meà me les positions les plus de terministes, par exemple celles sur l ’ in ¯ uence du libre e change dans l