REALISM & IDEALISM

RELATIONSHIP

• 20th century: rivals
• "Power politics" & "realpolitik" used as synonym for "political realism"
• "Liberalism" used with "idealism"

POLITICAL REALISM

• Thucydides: analysis of evidence & cause and effect explanations

POLITICAL REALISM

• 16th century Europeans (Machiavelli, Hobbes, Rousseau)
• Assumption relations between states exist in a "state of nature" --> anarchy
• War: permanent & expected
• No world government to restrain

POLITICAL REALISM

• Hobbes: human life is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short"
• Since no higher authority--> anarchy: states are on their own in intl arena to figure out how to live with one another
• Extreme: relations between states minimum conditions for co-existence --> no cooperation or agreements

POLITICAL REALISM

• Joseph Nye: 3 forms intl politics
• Anarchical system
• World imperial system: 1 gov controlling most of the world with which it has contact: ex Roman Empire
• Feudal system: human loyalties & political obligations not fixed by territorial boundaries

POLITICAL REALISM

• If war permanent --> intl cooperation can't change that --> ALWAYS continue
• Human nature? Not benevolent, self-centered, competitive
• Necessity to be prepared for WAR
• Military strength basic

"WAR DOES NOT DETERMINE WHO IS RIGHT - ONLY WHO IS LEFT"

MILITARY POWER WORLDWIDE GLOBAL FIREPOWER 2015

• United States
• Russia
• China
• India
• United Kingdom
• France
• South Korea
• Germany
• Japan
• Turkey

BUSINESS INSIDER 2014

POLITICAL REALISM

• But: it doesn't mean that realists like war
• They study the causes to find ways to reduce them

STATE SECURITY DILEMMA

• Structural anarchy + no central authority to settle disputes
• Lose-lose situation
• Provokes arms races & hostile interactions

STATE: SOVEREIGN, MAIN ACTORS ON WORLD STAGE

POLITICAL REALISM

• For states national interests top priority
• Hans Morgenthau: interests are defined in terms of state power
• Balance of power regulates relations between states
• States acting to balance off a powerful state or gp of states from gaining power
• Goal: intl stability through alliances, partnerships, secret diplomacy, adversarial relations

POLITICAL REALISM

• Balance of power: only form of foreign policy
• Its tool: war

POLITICAL REALISM

• Diplomacy is crucial
• Rely on diplomats to work for nation's interests
• Sometimes relations with ideological adversaries when in the interest of a state
• "Brains of national power"
• Ex: Containment Doctrine: George Kennan

IDEALISM

IDEALISM

• Realism: tragic
• Idealism: optimistic, belief in goodness of human nature
• Idealization: aspire at how relations between states SHOULD be like & to meet the basic human needs
• Progress towards a peaceful world can be reached

IDEALISM

• Liberal democracy: limited government, equal rights, constitution, rule of law, religious pluralism, consentí of the governed --> ESSENTIAL

IDEALISM

• Anarchy seen as a flaw that can be fixed --> rational institutions
• War & conflict seen as an outdated way of human organization

IDEALISM

• War seen as consequence of: historical circumstances, evil leaders, flawed socio-political systems and inadequate education

IDEALISM

• Balance of power: cooperation being possible between states & institutions
• National interests: depend on domestic society and culture
• Emphasis: intl instits, MNCs, intl law, ecology, etc.

IDEALISM

• Diplomacy: yes national interests BUT considering cooperation in other areas
• Focus: welfare individual & humanity

IDEALISM

• Dialogue
• Collective security for non-aggression
• Human rights
• Humanitarian aid
• Democratic values

IDEALISM

• Belief everyone wants peace
• Why idea of conflict?
• FAITH in humanity

ASSIGNMENT

• You will form teams of maximun 3 people
• You will research information on Woodrow Wilson on the following points:
• Political ideology
• Position and policy before WWI
• How and why the USA became involved in the war
• Involvement in IR after the war (intl instits created)
• Consequence of his ideas in IR