Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Realism - Descendent of Realpolitik

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Structural Realism - International Relations (1/7) - Open University > .
23-2-19 Ruscia's Grand Strategy & Ukraine - P00's geostrategic disaster - P > .
23-2-3 Fiona Hill - NATO = Barrier to Pooti's Imperial Ambitions - SC > .
22-12-20 US military in Pacific to prevent Xinese invasion of Taiwan - PBS > .
22-10-11 Condeleeza Rice - Xina and Taiwan - Hoover > .
22-7-22 Poland could become strongest land force in the EU - Binkov > .
22-7-21 Realist watches John Mearsheimer on Ukraine War - Baltic World > .
Why China Wants Regional Hegemony - John Mearsheimer Analysis - Ec Geopol > .
John Mearsheimer "The Past and Future of the US-China Relations" (US-Russia) > .
ISSS Panel on Intervention in Afghanistan, U.S. National Security Policy > .

Realism is one of the dominant schools of thought in international relations theory, theoretically formalising the Realpolitik statesmanship of early modern Europe. Although a highly diverse body of thought, it is unified by the belief that world politics is always and necessarily a field of conflict among actors pursuing power. The theories of realism are contrasted by the cooperative ideals of liberalism.

Realists are divided into three classes based on their view of the essential causes of interstate conflict. Classical realists believe it follows from human nature; neorealists attribute it to the dynamics of the anarchic state system; neoclassical realists believe it results from both, in combination with domestic politics. Neorealists are also divided between defensive and offensive realism. Realists trace the history of their ideas back through classical antiquity, beginning with Thucydides.

Realism entails a spectrum of ideas, which tend to revolve around several central propositions, such as:
  1. State-centrism: states are the central actors in international politics, rather than leaders or international organizations;
  2. Anarchy: the international political system is anarchic, as there is no supranational authority to enforce rules; No actor exists above states, capable of regulating their interactions; states must arrive at relations with other states on their own, rather than it being dictated to them by some higher controlling entity. The international system exists in a state of constant antagonism (anarchy).
  3. Rationality and/or Egoism: states act in their rational self-interest within the international system; States tend to pursue self-interest. Groups strive to attain as many resources as possible (relative gain).
  4. Power: states desire power to ensure self-preservation. The primary concern of all states is power and security. States build up their militaries to survive, which may lead to a security dilemma.
Realism is often associated with realpolitik, as both deal with the pursuit, possession, and application of power. Realpolitik, however, is an older prescriptive guideline limited to policy-making, while realism is a wider theoretical and methodological paradigm to describe, explain, and predict events in international relations. As an academic pursuit, realism is not necessarily tied to ideology; it does not favor any particular moral philosophy, nor does it consider ideology to be a major factor in the behavior of nations. However, realists are generally critical of liberal foreign policy. Priorities of realists have been described as Machiavellian, single-mindedly seeking the power of one's own nation over others, although realists also advocated the idea that powerful nations concede spheres of influence to other powerful nations.

John Joseph Mearsheimer (born December 14, 1947) is an American political scientist and international relations scholar, who belongs to the realist school of thought. He is the R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago. He has been described as the most influential realist of his generation.

Mearsheimer is best known for developing the theory of offensive realism, which describes the interaction between great powers as being primarily driven by the rational desire to achieve regional hegemony in an anarchic international system. He was a vocal opponent of the Iraq War in 2003 and was almost alone in opposing Ukraine's decision to give up its nuclear weapons in 1994, predicting that it would invariably face Russian aggression without a nuclear deterrent.

His most controversial views concern alleged influence by interest groups over US government actions in the Middle East which he wrote about in his 2007 book The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy. In accordance with his theory, Mearsheimer believes that China's growing power will likely bring it into conflict with the United States.


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