Realism

Realism is a school of thought within global politics. It claims to offer a ‘realistic view’ of events. It is based on two core principles:

  • People are essentially selfish and competitive, meaning that egoism is the defining characteristic of human nature.

  • The state-system operates in a context of international anarchy, in that there is no authority higher than the sovereign state.

Thus, for realists, global politics is all about power and self-interests. Realists generally take a pessimistic view when it comes to global politics.

Selfish humans & states

  • States are the principal actor in the international community.

  • Similar to conservatism, realists believe that humans are selfish.

  • States are ruled by self-centred humans; therefore, they will seek their own goals and national interests. State nature reflects human nature.

  • States cannot trust others to be truthful and work in their interests.

  • States should therefore expect betrayal.

    • Post WWI, Italy was on the side of the allies (USA, UK and France), and was promised lots of land as a result of winning the war. However, they never got this extra land. They moved from an ally of France & Britain to a Fascist dictatorship in the late 1930s under the leadership of Benito Mussolini.

  • Inevitably, this leads to conflict as states cannot trust others to side with them.

  • The Prisoner's Dilemma - A scenario that illustrates the mutual distrust in the international system, where two individuals must choose between cooperation and betrayal without knowing the other’s decision.


States are

  • Rational: states will only make international relations if the benefits outweigh the potential costs.

  • Unitary actors: a state acts as a single body, there is no split opinions within the states when making international relations.

  • Amoral: justice and human rights play a minimal role in international relations. A state should achieve the aims it seeks, no matter the method of achieving them.

  • Power-seeking: states seek economic and military power. This gives them security and protection, along with negotiating leverage.

Security Dilemma

In an imbalance of power, states look to increase their national security, which leads to other states doing the same for their own protection. This creates a cycle by which states increase their military and security resources, which risks increased conflict —> security dilemma

International Anarchy

  • Realists believe that states are the primary actors in international politics.

  • Anarchy simply means that there is no government.

  • Thus, if states are the highest power in international politics, and there is no global government to keep states in check, then the international community is anarchical.

  • Some realists argue that states’ selfish nature causes conflict.

  • Others argue that international anarchy causes conflict as there is nobody to stop states acting selfishly.

  • Billiard ball model: when states come together, instead of building a link they will bounce off each other (conflict), which pushes them further apart.

Key realist thinkers and their writing

Kenneth Waltz, Theory of International Politics (1979)

Waltz was a defensive realist thinker. Bipolarity, where two major powers are competing for power, is more stable than multipolarity, where many rival powers are competing with each other. Two major powers can negotiate their way to stability more easily than many powers. The international system is in a state of anarchy, with no central authority above nation-state level.

Hedley Bull, The Anarchical Society (1977)

Bull identified the idea of an anarchical society within which a society of states operates in spite of this anarchy. A society of states is formed when states realise that they have common interests and values and will benefit from working together. When this happens, states begin to interact and impact on each others decisions, so ‘they behave- at least in some measure-as parts of a whole.

Hans Morgenthau, Politics Among Nations (1948)

Morgenthau is a classical realist thinker. Political man is a naturally selfish creature and will always try to dominate and have power over others. Moral considerations in global politics are less important than the national interest.

John Mearsheimer, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001)

Mearsheimer is an offensive realist thinker. He explained that conflict and competition for power between the great world powers will continue. States are trying to secure hegemony, meaning they want to dominate all other states within a region.