Neoliberal theory, as discussed in all the assigned readings, encompasses several beliefs. One includes that formal international institutions help international cooperation and also help to set standards. My question, is why do we need any theory to tell us that institutions help regulate people? And equally, why do people need institutions to regulate them? It almost offends me that we need a theory to discuss how we need to be ‘reigned in.’ And yet all of this builds on the accepted statement that the world would be in a state of anarchy without the various, set institutions. I wonder what the fine line between having lots of powerful institutions setting different rules and helping to keep the general peace is versus living in a completely controlled society. The book Brave New World comes to mind, along with a slew of others. All the discussions in the readings and in class just leave a bad feeling with me because it is all excepting various forms of controls, and who keeps any tabs/controls on these institutions so they don’t become too powerful??