Revolutionary states and the international system: Socialization and structural change

Neorealist theories of international relations suggest that international structures are objective constraints impervious to the reformist aspirations of revolutionary regimes. In this view, socialization means adaptation to those structures. In contrast, this study contends that socialization means much more than that. While American and French revolutionary leaders did have to adjust their policies under pressure from the international system, such adjustment did not always reinforce the status quo. In fact, the revolutionary regimes provided sustained challenges to dominant structural imperatives, and under certain conditions developed policies leading to structural change. Further, revolutionary leaders' interpretations of the international context contributed to the formulation of their interests and aspirations. The dynamic of mutual influence between actors and international structures is not successfully captured by mainstream international relations theory.;The first two chapters address the theoretical problems involved in capturing that complex dynamic whereby revolutionary actors interact with status quo structures. Neorealist international relations theory is found insufficient for the task at hand. Alternative perspectives are developed, drawing on sociology, and paying particular attention to normative dimensions of structure, and questions of legitimacy. The empirical studies focus on the development and transformation of guiding principles of revolutionary policy. The socialization process, whereby revolutionary policy undergoes transformation as a result of international pressure, does not always mean adaptation to international structures and compliance with international norms; it can also mean innovation and transgression, which I identify as potential avenues of structural change.