Realism Flashcards
Anarchy
Lack of higher authority
Hegemony
When power is not distributed and one state is strong enough to dominate all others
Security Dilemma
Cycle when countries balance their power with all other countries to create a higher state of national security. This causes one state to not become more powerful than any other state. When one state falls less powerful, other states give resources to balance the power once again.
Offensive Structual Realism
States are most concerned with maximizing power.
Defensive Structual Realism
States are most concerned with maximizing security.
Classical realism
Conflict is the result of the human nature to desire power and to see power as the end goal.
Structural realism
Conflict is the result of anarchy and power is the means of survival.
Neoclassical realism
Conflict results from both human nature to desire power and from anarchy.
Status quo
The current conditions of affairs between states.
What are the five key assumptions of structural realism?
- States operate in an anarchic global system.
- All states possess some offensive military capability.
- States can never know the intentions of other states.
- The main goal of states is survival.
- States are rational actors.
What are three principles (propositions)?
- Statism - states are the most important political actors
- Survival is the ultimate goal - the most important goal is the thriving of the nation
- Self-help - the state must do everything for itself and rely on no one else
Contributions Hans Morgenthau made to the theory of realism
- The theory states that politics is governed by laws that have roots in human nature
- He accounts that every political action is directed toward keeping, increasing, or demonstrating power
Contributions Kenneth Waltz made to the theory of realism
- Moved away from the realism theories related to human nature
- Waltz contribution states that rather than a state’s decisions and actions being based on human nature, all states are constrained by existing in an international anarchic system and any course of action they pursue is based on their relative power when measured against other states
Balance of Power Theory
National security is enhances when power is divided evenly. All states have equal amounts of power.