realism

Question 1

a dominant theory in international relations that provides the most powerful explanation for the state of war that is the regular condition of life in the international system.

Answer 1

realism

Question 2

are associated with endless wars due to power politics, limited cooperation, the security dilemma, and the realist view of human nature.

Answer 2

realists

Question 3

Realists critique the mentioned idealist approach because:

Answer 3

• Ignored the role of power
• Overestimated shared interests among nation-states.

-Were overly optimistic about ending war.

Question 4

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, a _______ occurred between inter-war idealists and a new generation of realist writers.

Answer 4

Great Debate

Question 5

_____ emphasized the ubiquity of power and the competitive nature of politics among nations.

Answer 5

realists

Question 6

_____ emerged victorious in the Great Debate and has remained dominant since 1939.

Answer 6

realists

Question 7

____ teaches focusing on interests over ideology, seeking peace through strength, and recognizing coexistence of great powers despite differing values.

Answer 7

Realism

Question 8

____ offers a practical guide for state interests in a hostile environment, contributing to its continued dominance.

Answer 8

realism

Question 9

another term for the reason of state

Answer 9

Raison d’etat

Question 10

is a fundamental principle of international conduct.

Answer 10

reason of state

Question 11

According to historian _______, the reason of state guides states to preserve the state ‘ s health and strength.

Answer 11

Friedrich Meinecke

Question 12

____ the key actor in international politics, must pursue power and rationally calculate steps to maintain its survival in hostile environments.

Answer 12

the state

Question 13

The survival of the state is not guaranteed due to the use of ______is a legitimate instrument of statecraft.

Answer 13

force culminating in war

Question 14

Realists question the existence of universal moral principles and warn state leaders against sacrificing self-interests for _______.

Answer 14

‘ethical’ conduct

Question 15

realists argue that the need for survival requires state leaders to distance themselves from traditional notions of _______.

Answer 15

morality

Question 16

_______ argued that traditional moral principles were harmful if adhered to by state leaders.

Answer 16

Machiavelli

Question 17

Proponents of Raison d’etat advocate for a dual moral standard: ___________

Answer 17

one for internal citizens and another for the state’ s external relations.

Question 18

The ______, according to Raison d’etat, creates the possibility for an ethical political community to exist domestically.

Answer 18

existence of the state

Question 19

Realists note an increase in ______ wars since the Cold War’s end.

Answer 19

intra-state

Question 20

Realists attribute internal wars to the _____________.

Answer 20

loss of state authority.

Question 21

These conflicts arise from the ___________.

Answer 21

breakdown of domestic order and international disorder.

Question 22

realists advocate for __________ as a solution to internal conflicts.

Answer 22

separation or partition

Question 23

argue that ethnically _______ are more stable and less reliant on external military intervention

Answer 23

homogeneous states

Question 24

Critics argued realism failed to account for new developments like __________.

Answer 24

regional integration, humanitarian intervention, and the rise of non-state actors.

Question 25

Transnational corporations and regional institutions are cited as examples of ________ gaining prominence over states.

Answer 25

non-state actors

Question 26

Proponents of globalization argue that realist theory privileged actor, ______ is in decline in relative to the growing influence of _______ like transnational corporations.

Answer 26

the state: non-state actors

Question 27

Critics question the ________ in explaining the rise of intra-state conflicts, particularly in the global South

Answer 27

efficacy of realist thought

Question 28

who wrote the Peloponnesian war? (during classical realism)

Answer 28

Thucydides (430-406 BC)

Question 29

main idea: International politics is driven by an endless struggle for power, which has its roots in human nature. Justice, law, and society have either no place or are circumscribed

Answer 29

the Peloponnesian war

Question 30

who wrote the prince? (during classical realism)

Answer 30

Machiavelli (1532)

Question 31

main idea: Political realism recognizes that principles are subordinated to policies; the ultimate skill of the state leader is to accept, and adapt to, the changing power political configurations in world politics.

Answer 31

The Prince

Question 32

who wrote politics among nations? (during classical realism)

Answer 32

Morgenthau (1948)

Question 33

main idea: Politics is governed by laws that are created by human nature. The mechanism we use to understand international politics is the concept of interests, defined in terms of power

Answer 33

Politics among nations

Question 34

who wrote the state of war? (structural realism)

Answer 34

Rousseau (1750)

Question 35

main idea: It is not human nature but the anarchical system (the lack of central authority) that fosters fear, jealousy, suspicion, and insecurity.

Answer 35

The state of war

Question 36

who wrote the theory of international politics? (defensive realism)

Answer 36

Waltz (1979)

Question 37

main idea: Anarchy leads to a logic of self-help in which states seek to maximize their security. The most stable distribution of power in the system is bipolarity. (Number of great powers “poles” determine the landscape of international politics)

Answer 37

theory of international politics

Question 38

critics: assumes states are easily satisfied with security and rarely seek expansion. Historical evidence, however, shows many states throughout history have pursued aggressive policies and territorial gains.

Answer 38

theory of international politics

Question 39

critics: Blurring lines between offensive and defensive military capabilities; they don’t know when a state is satisfied with its security

Answer 39

theory of international politics

Question 40

wrote the Tragedy of great power politics (offensive realism)

Answer 40

Mearsheimer (2001)

Question 41

main idea: The anarchical, self-help system compels states to maximize their relative power positions even at the expense of other states.

Answer 41

Tragedy of great power politics

Question 42

critics: The pursuit of power and hegemony often involves aggressive policies that can lead to conflict and human suffering an may undermine fundamental human rights.

Answer 42

tragedy of great power politics

Question 43

critics: The focus of maximization of power neglects other factors that may contribute and motivate states such as ideology, economic interests, technological advancement etc.

Answer 43

tragedy of great power politics

Question 44

who wrote from wealth to power? (neoclassical realism)

Answer 44

Zakaria (1998)

Question 45

main idea: The systemic account of world pol itics provided by structural real ism is incomplete. It needs to be supplemented with better accounts of unit-level variables such as how power is perceived, and how leadership is exercised.

Answer 45

from wealth to power

Question 46

classical realism

Answer 46

1900s-1920s

Question 47

classical realism origins: _____ view of power politics as a law of human behavior.

Answer 47

Thucydides'

Question 48

classical realism origins: The state’s drive for power and the will to dominate are fundamental aspects of_______.

Answer 48

human nature

Question 49

classical realism origins: The behavior of the state as a _______ is a reflection of human characteristics.

Answer 49

self-seeking egoist

Question 50

classical realism origins: The essential features of international politics, such as _________, are rooted in human nature.

Answer 50

competition, fear, and war

Question 51

Human nature explains why international politics is necessarily _____

Answer 51

power politics.

Question 52

classical realism's belief in power and ethics: Classical realism is fundamental about the struggle for belonging, often _____.

Answer 52

violent

Question 53

classical realism's belief in power and politics: __________ is required for communities to survive in this historic battle between good and evil

Answer 53

Patriotic virtue

Question 54

________ is legitimate as it is a means of gaining greater security

Answer 54

Imperial expansion

Question 55

Thucydides' and Machiavelli's Influence on Classical Realism: argued that the ________ has a direct threat to state actors' behavior.

Answer 55

distribution of power

Question 56

Thucydides' and Machiavelli's Influence on Classical Realism: Both_______ pursued power to serve their empires and survive

Answer 56

Sparta and Athens

Question 57

commences from the first great debate

Answer 57

modern realism (1939-1979)

Question 58

Officially entered after Kenneth Waltz's Theory of International Politics

Answer 58

structural/neoclassical realism (1979 onwards)

Question 59

Structural realists view international politics as a _______, not driven by human nature.

Answer 59

struggle for power

Question 60

They attribute security competition and conflict among states to the absence of a higher authority.

Answer 60

structural realism

Question 61

key concepts of Waltz (organizing principles): ______, which corresponds to the decentralized realm of international politics

Answer 61

Anarchy

Question 62

key concepts of Waltz (organizing principles): ________, which is the basis of domestic order

Answer 62

Hierarchy

Question 63

key concepts of Waltz (differentiation of units): argues that the units of the international system are _________; hence unit-level variation is inconsequential.

Answer 63

functionally similar sovereign states

Question 64

key concepts of Waltz (distribution of capabilities): the _________ in the international system is the key independent variable in understanding important international outcomes such as war and peace, alliance politics, and the balance of power

Answer 64

relative distribution of power

Question 65

Distribution of Power and Defensive Realism by Waltz: emphasizes the importance of ______ being mindful of others' capabilities for security.

Answer 65

great powers

Question 66

Distribution of Power and Defensive Realism by Waltz: The possibility that any state may use _______ to advance its interests results in all states being worried about their survival.

Answer 66

force

Question 67

Distribution of Power and Defensive Realism by Waltz: states are security maximizers because power maximization can be counterproductive, as states will feel threatened by rising powers and are likely to form counter-balancing coalitions, which then disrupts the balance of power even more. In other words,

Answer 67

states assume the perspective of defensive realism.

Question 68

Offensive Realism by Mearsheimer: John Mearsheimer's theory of offensive realism suggests states constantly _______ to gain power at the expense of others as states can never be certain about the intentions of other states

Answer 68

seek opportunities

Question 69

Offensive Realism by Mearsheimer: The ideal is to be a ________, one that is impossible to achieve because of the concept of balance of power and the concept of perpetual great power competition.

Answer 69

global hegemon

Question 70

Neoclassical Realists' Perspective on State Behavior: They challenge the idea that state behavior is solely determined by _______

Answer 70

power distribution

Question 71

Neoclassical Realists' Perspective on State Behavior: acknowledge the impact of individual and domestic factors, including _______,____, and ______.

Answer 71

leader perceptions, state-society relations, and identity.

Question 72

Neoclassical Realists' Perspective on State Behavior: __________, not just power distribution, influence foreign policy behavior according to neoclassical realists.

Answer 72

Domestic politics

Question 73

Neoclassical Realists' Perspective on State Behavior: They argue that states have ________, unlike the structural realist assumption of uniform security concerns

Answer 73

diverse interests

Question 74

Neoclassical Realists' Perspective on State Behavior: Neoclassical realists highlight the distinction between ____, and____, emphasizing variations in interests and resource capabilities.

Answer 74

status quo and revisionist states

Question 74

all realists subscribe to the 3S. what are the three S?

Answer 74

statism, survival, and self-help

Question 75

Neoclassical Realists' Perspective on State Behavior: in contrast to Waltz, they reject the notion of all states being treated as _____

Answer 75

uniform entities

Question 76

For realists, the state is the main actor and sovereignty is its distinguishing trait.

Answer 76

statism

Question 77

The state is seen as the legitimate representative of the collective will of the people. The state's existence is viewed as a prerequisite for order and security, but external relations among independent sovereign states present threats.

Answer 77

statism

Question 78

Assert that the primary goal in world politics is ______, with security being the ultimate concern. ______ is held to be a precondition for attaining all other goals, whether these involve conquest or merely independence

Answer 78

Survival

Question 79

The concept of the security dilemma arises when one state's military preparations as part of ______ initiatives (to enhance security) create uncertainty for another state.

Answer 79

self-help

Question 80

____ is a central assumption of real ism. This involves two claims. First, the state is the pre-eminent actor in world pol itics. Second, state sovereignty signifies the existence of an independent pol itical community, one that has juridical authority over its territory.

Answer 80

Statism

Question 81

Key criticism: statism is flawed on both ___, and _____.

Answer 81

empirical and normative ground

Question 82

Key criticism: are there no limits to what actions a state can take in the name of necessity?

Answer 82

survival

Question 83

no other state or institution can be relied on to guarantee your survival

Answer 83

self-help

Question 84

Key criticism: ____ is not an inevitable consequence of the absence of a world government; it is a logic that states have selected.

Answer 84

self-help