PSIR: realism

Question 1

4 paradigms in international politics

Answer 1

realism, liberalism, marxism, constructivism

Question 2

realism

Answer 2

• theoretical perspective in which power is seen as the ultimate goal in international relations
• States are concerned with how much power they have and how much power they have relative to other states- relative gains over others
• Rejections of a moral/legal framework in international affairs

Question 3

Thucydides opinion on realism

Answer 3

• Athens, 5th century BC
• politics is dictated by a competition over power

Question 4

Machiavelli opinion on realism

Answer 4

• Italy, 15th century
• humans are “insatiable, arrogant, crafty…violent and savage”
• the ends justify the means (morality is irrelevant in IR)

Question 5

Thomas Hobbes opinion on realism

Answer 5

• Englishman, royalist self-exiled to France during civil war
• the “state of nature” is ongoing war. we need strong, absolute governments to protect us from life being “nasty, brutish, and short”

Question 6

2 core assumptions of realism

Answer 6

1. The individual is primarily selfish and power seeking. Individuals are organized in states, each of which acts in a unitary way in pursuit of its own national interest, defined in terms of power
2. We exist in a state of international anarchy (no higher authority than the state)

Question 7

3 principles for realists

Answer 7

Statism: State is the most important actor in Global Politics
Survival: Ultimate goal of state is to ensure own survival
Self help: Can’t rely on anyone for help

Question 8

2 types of realism

Answer 8

structural & classical

Question 9

classical vs. structural realism

Answer 9

classical: emphasis on state egoism
structural/neo: emphasis on international anarchy

Question 10

classical realism

Answer 10

It is human nature to want power
- Competition
- Selfish

States are led by individuals with an innate need to dominate their rivals

Question 11

structural realism

Answer 11

States pursue power because of the nature of the international system

A state’s power comes from 2 sources:
* The material capabilities a state controls: military resources, nuclear weapons, natural resources
* Latent power: based on a state’s wealth and size of its overall population

Question 12

offensive structural realism

Answer 12

It makes sense for states to pursue as much as power as possible

States should pursue hegemony where possible

Key writer: John Mearsheimer

Question 13

defensive structural realism

Answer 13

States should maximise their security. They should strive to share power as the global political system will punish them if they attempt to gain too much

Pursuit of hegemony is foolish. A bipolar world is most stable

Key writer: Kenneth Waltz

Question 14

offensive realist perspective on hegemony

Answer 14

Offensive realists argue that states should always be looking for opportunities to gain more power and should do so whenever it seems feasible.

States should maximize power, and their ultimate goal should be hegemony, because that is the best way to guarantee survival

Question 15

defensive realist perspective on hegemony

Answer 15

Priority of security- it is foolish to go to war
While defensive realists recognize that the international system creates strong incentives to gain additional increments of power, they maintain that it is strategically foolish to pursue hegemony.

States should not maximize power, but should instead strive for what Kenneth Waltz calls an ‘appropriate amount of power’