Scribd
Upload
8 views13 pages

REALISM.pptx

Realism is a foundational theory in international relations, emphasizing power politics, global anarchy, and the state as the principal actor. Key contributions come from thinkers like E.H. Carr and Hans Morgenthau, who argue that states prioritize national interest and security in an anarchic world. Various forms of Realism, including Neo-Classical, Structural, Strategic, Offensive, and Defensive Realism, offer different perspectives on state behavior and international dynamics, while facing criticisms for their narrow focus on power and conflict.

Uploaded by

prachetatusi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
8 views13 pages

REALISM.pptx

Realism is a foundational theory in international relations, emphasizing power politics, global anarchy, and the state as the principal actor. Key contributions come from thinkers like E.H. Carr and Hans Morgenthau, who argue that states prioritize national interest and security in an anarchic world. Various forms of Realism, including Neo-Classical, Structural, Strategic, Offensive, and Defensive Realism, offer different perspectives on state behavior and international dynamics, while facing criticisms for their narrow focus on power and conflict.

Uploaded by

prachetatusi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 13

REALISM

🙢 🙢
The Oldest School of International Theory
Genesis and Development
Traced back to the study of Thucydides' account of
The ‘Peloponnesian War’ (431 BC) and to Sun Tzu’s
classic work on strategy, ‘The Art of War’.
Kautilya’s ‘mandala niti’ is also similar to key
assumptions of Realism.
Realism was also developed in the writings of
Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes.
Dominant International perspective to understand
world war.
Most notable contributions by E.H.Carr (The Twenty
Years’ Crisis-1939) and Hans Morgenthau (Politics
among Nations: the struggle for power and
peace-1948)
Central Assumptions
Power Politics

Global Anarchy

Balance of Power

National Interest

State , as the Principal Actor


The concept of POWER in
Realism
❧ Realists argue that pursuing power is the principal
human goal.
❧ Kantian ‘morality’ was rejected by Realists and Power
Politics was projected as the driving force in
international domain.
❧ Realists primarily considers Military capacity or Force
as the real power of a state.
❧ Although Structural Realists broadened the idea of
state power, they included economy as an important
aspect of Power of a state
Global Anarchy & Balance
of Power
❧ Anarchy means absence of a Central Authority
❧ There is central authority on the world stage
❧ It is conducted in a ‘State of Nature’, characterised by
Anarchy– NOT Harmony.
❧ Anarchy does not essentially mean endless war,
vulnerable ‘Peace’(absence of war) prevails in world
stage as long as ‘Balance of Power’ works.
❧ In pursuit of national security, States enter into
alliances, that, if balanced against one another , may
ensure peace and breaks down, war is probable.
STATE– The Principal
Actor
There is no higher authority than nation-states in
international politics.
In the anarchic international arena, States are the
principal actors– able to act as supreme powerful and
autonomous entity.
States are forced to help itself and give priority to its
own ‘National Interest’.
State survival and territorial defence are key important
interests of a nation state.
REALISM and its Avatars
? REALISMS , rather than Realism

? Realism is a paradigm

? Like liberalism, there is many variants of Realism

? Often they are critic of the other

? Important Classifications
Neo Classical Realism
? E.H. Carr in his The Twenty Years Crisis (1939) argued that
conflicts between states are unavoidable due to absence
of central authority in world politics
? Morgenthau developed six principles in order to explain
world politics:
1. Law of Politics is rooted in Human nature
2. Politics is an autonomous sphere of action
3. Interests of states is a permanent truth in world politics,
although its content may vary with time.
4. Political Ethics sharply opposed to Private Morality.
5. Aspirations of a particular state cant be governing law of
universe.
6. International Politics should be considered how it is,
rather than how it should be
Structural Realism
❧ Theoretically constructed by Kenneth Waltz, in his
book Theory of International Politics (1980)
❧ Continue to acknowledge central importance to
Power
❧ Power is not only force but ‘Combined capabilities of a
state’
❧ Structure of the international system determines
states’ actions
❧ Personality of leader, form of a state is less important
than the fact is action takes place within the context of
anarchic realm.
Strategic Realism
❧ Thomas Schelling is the chief exponent.
❧ He argues that in order to avoid ‘disaster’ in the
crisis-ridden contemporary world, States should follow
calculated actions, moves and strategies
❧ The crucial element of successful foreign policy is
Military but ‘War’ is less important in this nuclear
world.
❧ Threat of War is more fearsome than actual war and
Diplomacy is all about bargaining.
❧ Thus, Strategies of Foreign policy should be loaded
with threat perspective.
Offensive Realism
? Developed in the writings of John Mearsheimer and
Steven Walt’s Back to The Future (1990)
? International relations is a prisoner’s dialemma
? States are security maximisers
? Relative power, not absolute power is important to
states
? Foreign policy of a state should be designed to weaken
potential enemies
? Conflict is inevitable as cooperation
? States should always be prepared for an attack
? Reducing military budget, disarmament are inviting
expansionary states to attack
Defensive Realism
❧ Robert Jervis in his book Realism, Neo Liberalism and
Cooperation (1999) and Jack Snyder’s Myths of Empire
(1999)
❧ Defensive Realists are more optimist than Offensive
Realists and more pessimist than Neo-liberals
❧ Defensive realists agrees with the neo liberals that war
can be avoided by institutional arrangements
❧ Conflicts are simply unavoidable sometimes, due to
aggressive states challenge world order for their own
interest
❧ Areas of mutual interests exists, but cheating by
states pose a threat to Security
Criticisms
❧ Perceives the world with a narrow idea of Power,
threat, cruelty, conflict. Cooperation, Freedom, Values
also exists in this world.
❧ Considering State as the supreme powerful
organisation is wrong. World Order, Civilizational
values, Groups (e.g. Terrorists) plays an important role
in contemporary world
❧ The theory gives no importance to economic issues
like poverty, world economic order etc.
❧ Realism considers security in a very negative manner.

You might also like