Realism - IR

Ética e Relações Internacionais

31/10/2023

Authors: Albert Cristian Maties Vanessa Marconcini

Realism

“Right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.”

Thucydides

02. Thucydides

01. Introduction

05. Classical Realism

04. Hobbes

03. Machiavelli

08. Neorealism

09. Waltz

10. Conclusions

11. Bibliography

07. Morgenthau

06. E.H. Carr

Index

01. Introduction

One of the general theories in International Relations.It is usually contrasted with Idealism or Liberalism.

Realism

Realism had changed as the years go by.Founding fathers: Thucydides, Machiavelli and HobbesWe can distinguish between Classical Realism and Neorealism, which has replaced the first one with a more scientific approach to study International Relations.

International Relations are a self-help system in which there is not a superior entity to regulate interactions

Anarchy

01. Main features of Realism

Realists consider human beings egoistic and self-interested

Human nature

Realists are skeptical regarding the relevance of ethical norms in International Relations, among States

Ethical norms

States' actions are influeced by their interests. For realists, States are concerned with their own security

States' interests

Realists consider States as the principal actors in International Relations

States

Morality can be perfected within the tight bounds of a well-crafted community, but can never extend farther, at least to any meaningful degree

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02. Thucydides

Is not simply a matter of balancing material interests; the attainment of moral community is intrinsically valuable, a measure of high civilization.

4. The integrity of the community

Saw politics as involving in moral questions, and the power as a crucial element that can also be guided by the norms of justice

3. It is utopian to ignore the reality of power in international relations, but it is equally blind to rely on power alone

2. For him realism competes with ethical concern in an irresolvable tension.

His work was the first recorded political and moral analysis of a nation’s war policies. Thucydides' analysis systematically blocks taking a "just war" approach to the origins of the Peloponnesian War.

1. Peloponnesian War

Thucydides was the greatest of ancient Greek historians and author of the History of the Peloponnesian War, about the struggle between Athens and Sparta in the 5th century BC.

03. Machiavelli

1. Critique of classical Western political thought as unrealistic
2. Separation of ethics from politics
3. He replaces the ancient virtue with virtù
4. Ragione di Stato and morality in politics
5. Concept of double ethics

Machiavelli was born in the 15th century in Italy. The. main idea in politics was that politics itself should be virtuous and the methods of warfare should be subordinated to ethical standards.Machiavelli defines himself as a political innovator:

State of Nature

He derives his notion of the state of war from his views of both human nature and the condition in which individuals exist. Since in the state of nature there is no government and everyone enjoys equal status, every individual has a right to everything; that is, there are no constraints on an individual’s behavior.

04.

International Relations

His approach to international relations is prudential and pacific: sovereign states, like individuals, should be disposed towards peace which is commended by reason. International rules will often prove ineffective in restraining the struggle for power. States will interpret them to their own advantage.International relations will always tend to be a precarious affair. This grim view of global politics lies at the core of Hobbes’s realism.

Hobbes

05. Classical Realism

Important Authors

• John H. Herz
• Hans Morgenthau
• George Kennan
• Raymond Aron
• E. H. Carr

Idealist perspective

The Classical Realism of the 20th Century was born in response to the liberalist, or idealist, perspective after the First World War

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06. E. H. Carr

4. Human beings need universally aknowledged norms and values

Policy of appeasement

3. The way to obrain peace is to satisfy the unsatisfied powers, making concessions

2. Doctrine of the harmony of interests vs the reality of conflict of interests

There are neither universal values nor universal interests

1. "Morality can only be relative, not universal"

Critique to the idealist position

Politics cannot be subordinated to ethics

Autonomous sphere

Defined as power is a universally valid category

Interest

07. Morgenthau

He developed realism into a comprehensive international relations theory. He places selfishness and power-lust at the center of his picture of human existence.

All state actors must be looked at solely as political entities pursuing their respective interests defined in terms of power.

Prudence

Tension between morality and the requirements of successful political action

Relationship between realism and ethics

Political leaders think and act in terms of interest defined as power.

Autonomy of politics

Realism is based on objective laws that have their roots in unchanging human nature

Objective laws

Morgenthau systematizes realism in international relations on the basis of six principles

08.

Neorealism

Neorealism was an attempt to develop a more scientific and methodologically rigorous approach explain International Relations.The International Relations discipline has been divided into two main strands:- Traditional or non-positivist: normative questions, history, philosophy, and law- Scientific or positivist: descriptive approach

09. Kenneth Waltz

Anarchy: principle of the international systemStates: units of the international systemSecurity: fundamental interest of each stateInsecurity and unequal gains

Structural realism or neorealism

• Avoid discussions on human nature

• Theory on International Relations analogous to microeconomics

• Not applied to domestic politics

10. Conclusions

• It warns us against progressivism, moralism, legalism, and other orientations that lose touch with the reality of self-interest and power.

2. Useful cautionary role

• It depends on the actual historical and political conditions.

1. Realism is more than a static theory

• By remaining stuck in a state-centric and excessively simplified “paradigm” such as neorealism and by denying the possibility of any progress in interstate relations

3. Ideology

Classical Realism

Was a theory aimed at supporting diplomatic practice and providing a guide to be followed by those seeking to understand and deal with potential threats.

Kenneth Waltz

"States in the world are like individuals in the state of nature. They are neither perfectly good nor are they controlled by law."

• Steven Ford, Chapter 4 in "Traditions of International Ethics, by T. Nardin and D. R. Mapel

Classical Realism

• Korab-Karpowicz, W. Julian, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2017 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2017/entries/realism-intl-relations/>

Political Realism in International Relations

11.

Bibliography

Albert Cristian Maties Vanessa Marconcini

Thanksfor your attention

Melian Dialogue

Peloponnesian war is an exploration of the place of ethics in international politics. The “Melian Dialogue”, presents the classic debate between the idealist and realist views: Can international politics be based on a moral order derived from the principles of justice, or will it forever remain the arena of conflicting national interests and power?

• Melians trust in alliances.
• Athenians overestimate their strength and in the end lose the war.
• Spartans persue they own interests and declaim about justice only when is to their advantage

Politicians

Politicians use the language of justice to cloak the particular interests of their own countries.Policies are not based on universal norms, independent of iterests of the parties involved, as the idealists affirm.

Power

• The world is torn apart by the interests of different groups
• Order is based on power
• Morality is a product of power
• International moral norms are imposed on countries by other dominant nations