POLI 105 1st Edition Lecture 8 Realism Review Basic tenants Four propositions1 System is anarchic 2 States are the most important actors 3 All states in the system are unitary rational actors 4 Primary concern is survival Classical Realism Lots of goals but political goals are primary Human nature is unchanging History repeats itself Echoes Thucydides Three possible systems1 Unipolar system 2 Bipolar system 3 Multipolar Bedrock presumptions 1 International system is anarchic 2 other Great powers inherently possess some offensive military capability allowing them to heart each 3 States can never be certain about each other s intention 4 Survival is the primary goal of great power 5 Great powers are rational actors Containing violence 1 Nuclear Weapons 2 Water Bodies These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute 3 Distribution of power Offensive Realism s Basic Tenants 1 Great powers are the main actors in world politics and the international system is anarchical 2 All states possess some offensive military capability 3 States can never be certain of the intentions of other states 4 States have survival as their primary goal 5 States are rational actors capable of coming up with sound strategies that maximize their prospects for survival Why Comply with Rules 1 Because actors fear the punishment of the rule enforcers 2 Because actors see the rule in its own self interest 3 Because actors feel the rule is legitimate and out to be obeyed What are the Moral Standards that Matter 1 Dangers for Americans 2 Judgment 3 Morality of our selves 4 Histrionics of Moralism 5 Covert and Secret Operations Two Imperatives Duty to bring one s commitments and undertakings into a reasonable relationship with one s real possibilities for acting upon the international environment Live within one s means Prudence Key Challenges that Require Real Moral Dedication 1 Avoid another major war nuclear holocaust 2 Preserve our environment from destruction Morgenthau s Six Principles 1 Politics like society in general is governed by objective laws that have their roots in human nature which is unchanging therefore it is possible to develop a rational theory that reflects objective laws 2 The main signpost of political realism in finding its way in international relations is the concept of interest defined in terms of power This infuses rational order into the subject matter of politics and thus makes theoretical understanding of politics possible Political realism emphasizes rational objective and unemotional decision making 3 Realism assumes that interest defined as power is an objective category which is universally valid but not with a meaning that is fixed once and for all Power is key involves the domination of men over other men 4 Political realism is aware of the moral significance of political action and is aware of the ineluctable tension between moral command and the requirements of successful political action But political realism argues that universal moral principles cannot be applied to the action of states in their abstract universal formulation but that they must be filtered through the concrete circumstances of time and place 5 Political realism refused to identify the moral aspirations of a particular nation with the moral laws that govern the universe It is the concept of interest defined in terms of power that saves us from moral excess and political folly 6 The political realist maintains the autonomy of the political sphere It is based on a pluralist concept of human nature A man who as nothing but political man would be a beast for he would lack moral restraint Tickner s Six Principles 1 Feminist perspective believes that objectivity is culturally defined through masculinity Thus no real objective law currently exists it is all masculine 2 Feminist perspective believes that national interest is multidimensional and contextually contingent More than just power matters 3 Power cannot be infused with a meaning that is universally valid 4 Feminist perspective rejects the possibility of separating moral command from political action All political action has moral significance 5 Feminist perspective seeks to find common moral elements in human aspirations which could become the basis for deescalating international conflict and building community 6 Feminist perspective denies the autonomy of the political The politics must be seen in context with the rest of society Among Tickner s points That language is gendered in how it constructs theory Realism is very masculine at its core and may not take into consideration of the meaning of terms that would be more consistent to a feminine approach Feminists dispute the idea that knowledge can ever be objective but rather that knowledge is social constructed Feminism defines power differently much more about cooperation and influence than domination and force Feminist approach to national security is more multi dimensional in its conception Consequently a feminist approach may be more relevant than realism to the problems of contemporary international politics