Hierarchy under anarchy: informal empire and the East German state

TLDR

Contemporary international politics are marked by a tension between formal equality of states and de facto inequality, exemplified by informal empires that allow powerful states to influence weaker ones. The study aims to test whether transnational authority structures shape state identities and interests using a constructivist framework. The authors analyze the Soviet–East German relationship, applying constructivist theory to examine how informal empire dynamics influence state behavior. The empirical evidence confirms that transnational authority structures construct state identities and interests, prompting reconsideration of international governance.

Abstract

Contemporary international politics embody a tension between formal equality and de facto inequality. States recognize each other as sovereign equals, yet the strong still push around the weak. Among the structures that reflect this tension are informal empires. The dominant assumptions in mainstream international relations theory, materialism and rationalism, privilege the formal equality of states in informal empires a priori: materialism by assuming that authority relations cannot exist between sovereign states; rationalism by assuming that states are sovereign over their own interests. A constructivist approach allows one to explore the hypothesis that transnational authority structures construct state identities and interests. An empirical analysis of the Soviet-East German relationship supports this hypothesis, which raises questions about the emerging study of international governance.