Main ideas of Realism Flashcards
SELFISH HUMAN NATURE
What does selfish human nature lead to?
selfish states
SELFISH HUMAN NATURE
What is selfish human nature the root cause of?
conflict between states
SELFISH HUMAN NATURE
What did Thucydides and Morgenthau argued?
human beings are fundamentally self-centred
SELFISH HUMAN NATURE
How far will people/states pursue their own interests?
to promote their national interest at the expense of other states
SELFISH HUMAN NATURE
Why will states promote their own interest above the others?
- due to uncertainty about intentions of other states
- have no guarantee of co-operation
SELFISH HUMAN NATURE
Does competition or cooperation lead to war? Why?
Competition rather than cooperation between states lead to war
because competition leads to a clash of interests
RATIONALITY
Are states assumed to act rationally? Why?
Yes they act rationally
this is due to rational choice theory
RATIONALITY
What are relations with other states determined by?
relative value of costs vs benefits of such an actions
if benefits are higher then the perceived cost then states pursue a policy
UNITARY ACTORS
Is there division of opinion within state?
No division of opinion as to what constitutes the states’ interests
UNITARY ACTORS
What is always in the states’ interests?
- to increase their power
- as a consequence, increase their security
UNITARY ACTORS
What does the ‘billiard ball model’ demonstrate?
views states as autonomous and self-contained units
AMORAL
Are states moral? Why?
States do not act according to concepts of justice, rights and religious mortality
they only act to what is in their interests
AMORAL
What did Machiavelli advocate in ‘The Prince’?
rulers of states should be ruthless in pursuing their interests
what matters is achievements of these interests, how how they’re achieved
AMORAL
What did Randall Schweller go so far to say?
‘a just war is one in the national interest’
POWER
What are states motivated by?
pursuit of national interest
POWER
What do realists argue that is power?
pursuit of national interest
POWER
What do classical realists believe about power?
power is a good in itself
POWER
What do neo-realists believe about power?
power as a means to security
POWER
It is not known how much power guarantees security, so what do neo-realists argue?
that the safest course is for a state to become the hegemon
POWER
Why must states compete with each other for military and economic power?
because power is a finite resource
POWER
What is a ‘zero-sum game’?
the theory that as one state gains power, the other state inevitably loses power
POWER
What will weaker states do when they are aware of their vulnerability? How will they do this?
try to increase their power
by increasing the size of their military and acquiring more powerful weapons
POWER
What is the security dilemma?
states are unsure about the intentions of other states
they build up their military capacity
other countries, not sure of their intentions, also increase their military capacity
this increases tensions and raises possibility of war
POWER
Why do states naturally seek a balance of power?
to curb the hegemonic ambition of more powerful states
INTERNATIONAL ANARCHY
Who are the principal actors in the international systems? Why is this
states
no higher authority than the state
e.g. cannot be accounted for their actions or punished if they infringe rights
INTERNATIONAL ANARCHY
Is this any use to trying to use language of rights and justice to bring states to heel?
no
INTERNATIONAL ANARCHY
What concept is the international system like? What is this known as?
Hobbes’ ‘state of nature’ where states can act with impunity
this is what is known as international anarchy
INTERNATIONAL ANARCHY
What do some realists state is the reason that allows the states to get away with acting selfishly? And what does this cuase?
the international system
conflict
INEVITABILITY OF WAR
Is war is inevitable?
yes
INEVITABILITY OF WAR
What poses a threat to world peace?
- security dilemma
- states’ desire for power
- realist assumptions about the zero-sum nature of power
INEVITABILITY OF WAR
What are some of the reasons realists put forward the inevitability of war?
- states are selfish, there is bound to be a disagreement and competition for resources
- lack of adherence to any moral principles and the pursuit of power is bound to lead to misunderstandings
- limited amount of power in the world means all states pose a threat
INEVITABILITY OF WAR
What did Randall Schweller state?
‘always the danger of war lurking in the background’
SECURITY DILEMMA
What does creating an arms race or ‘bandwagoning’ increase?
increases the insecurity of all
SECURITY DILEMMA
Why did Kenneth Waltz argue that the states become obsessed with security?
because of the anarchy in the international system
SECURITY DILEMMA
What does the consequence of more states with larger armies and more weapons have?
makes the world a more dangerous place
