political realism a brief introduction BY TAHA AMIR

brief and easy introduction

1. NAME: Taha Muhammad Amir.

COURSE: National power and threat
perception
TOPIC: realism/political realism
CLASS: BS Defense and strategic
studies 2
nd
semester evening.


INTRODUCTION:
Realism is a theory in IR or world politics that
emphasizes on competitive and conflictual side of world
politics or the international system. Realism is a theory
that claims to explain the reality of world politics. It is a
dominant theory in IR that has its roots in both ancient
and modern history as well. Realism, political realism,
and power politics are all same terms.

2. HISTORY:
The theory of realism in IR has been developed
throughout history by famous political philosophers
from ancient times to modern times like THUCYDIDES
(who is also known as the ancient founder of this school
of thought), SUN TZU, MACHIVELLE, HOBBES, AND E.H
CARR which closest to our time.



BASIC ASSUMPTIONS OF REALISM:

 Realists say that the nature of human beings is
selfish and greedy, and there is always lust for more
and more.

3.  Realists claim that the state is a unitary actor in
international Politics.
 Realists also claim that the international system is
anarchic, meaning that any higher authority or
government is absent over states, as all states are
sovereign.
 Realists say that rulers of the sovereign states are
rational actors. They do cost-benefiting before
doing any decision.

TYPES OF REALISM:


realism
structural or
neo-realism
offensive
realism
defensive
realism
classical
realism
nil

4. CLASSICAL REALISM:
This a conservative theory that considers states as the
only actors in the international system and the actors
only give importance to military and power
maximization.

Some of the classical realists of all time are as following:
1 Thucydides:

Thucydides is regarded as the ancient founder of realist
school. He wrote a famous book “ the history of
Peloponnesian war” which records the events of 5
th

century BC war between Athens and Sparta. In his book
he mentioned the main reason for war was the growing
power of Athens and the fear it caused in
Sparta.(security dilemma). He explain that there is no
place for morality in international politics. He also said

5. that strong do what they have to do and the weak
accept what they have to accept.
2 Machiavelli:


Realism of Thucydides became so popular that until
early 1500s no one can share the status of Thucydides.
In those time Machiavelli was condemned for giving
cynical advice on the way how government should be
conducted. He also wrote a famous book “prince” in
which he introduced many policies of realism.
3 Thomas Hobbes:

6. He wrote a book named as “leviathan. He says that
world politics is a struggle for power, ‘it is war of all
against all’. He emphasizes that human nature is selfish
, greedy, aggressive and egoistic. The English civil war
of 17
th
century helped him to shaped his views.
4 E.H Carr:


He wrote the book “twenty year crisis 1919-1939”. He is
also known as modern realist. After world war 1 he
attacked the liberal principles because failure them led
to the world war. He gave a systematic approach to
realist school of thought. Carr has also different views
about power and morality. He said, ‘molarity is the
product of power’.
5 DR. Hans J Morgenthau:

7. He is also a modern realist. He wrote the book ‘ politics
among nation’ 1948 which is also considered as the
bible of international politics. He gave the famous six
principles of political realism which are as following:
1 IR is governed by objective laws that have deep roots
in human nature.
2 states have interests defined in-terms of power.
3 interests of states are permanent but their nature can
vary.
4 states are the only actors in IR.
5 There is no concept of ethics and morality in
international system.

8. 6 politics is an autonomous sphere. It has its own rules
and principles which are different from ethics and
molarity.

STRUCTURAL OR NEO-REALISM:
This theory was developed by Kenneth waltz in 1979.


This theory explains that states seeks to survive within
anarchical system and international structure. He
explains that states want to achieve more and more
power because of the structure of international system.
The structure of international system is all against all,
where there are no friends and allies only the interests .

TYPES OF STRUCTURAL OR NEO-REALISM:

9. 1 defensive realism:
When states are maximizing their power and security
and after that if they are satisfied then it is defensive
realism, as they are just maximizing for balance of
power BOP.

2 offensive realism:
When states are maximizing their power and security
and after that they are still not satisfied and they want
more and more then it is offensive realism.