Chapter 3: Realism §

I. Introduction §

1. New Key Terms §

Security Dilemma: a state increases security in territory, but the adversary is also increasing its security. ⇒ increasing security becomes less secured than before.

• Realpolitik: pragmatic ideas better suited for dealing with practical ideas than theoretical ideals.

  US’s president calling China’s leader to deal with Covid-19

Transnationalism: ideas to lessen the importance of borders between countries to allow for better integration, relations, and trade. (Globalization)

states will only abide by international law if it is tied to its national goal

Interdeendence: states depend on one another to grow

States only cooperate for their own interests and will put their national interests first in times of crisis

2. Basic Nature §

1. Pessimistic view of human nature and state’s nature
   • States want to be in the driver seat above others
   • Main aim is to gain more power than everyone else
2. International system is bound to be conflictual
   • No global government looking over each state (anarchic)
   • Conflicts will be resolved by war
3. Highly valued state’s national security and survival
   • Population rely on state’s leadership, other wise they’d be poor,
4. Doubt there can be progress in International Politics
   • Domestic politic can be achieved but international political level isn’t possible
   • states focus on themselves rather than relying on relations
   • Conflicts being resolved by war means difficulty for building relations

3. Branches of Realism §

1. Classical Realism
2. Neoclassical Realism
3. Strategic Realism
4. Structural Realism
5. Offensive Realism & Defensive Realism
6. Neorealist stability Theory/Hegemony & Balance of Power

II. Classical Realism §

Is a branch of Realism that emphasizes the study of human and states behaviors

Characteristics [1] §

• States:
  • only care about survival of themselves
  • morals and ethics doesn’t limit states’ behavior
  • selfish and competitive with other states
  • Need power to defend one-self
    • the best defense is an offense: to not let others get more powerful

Assumptions [1] §

• International Politics is an arena for states to exercise their political power for national interests
• International Politics is about survival through different methods:
  • Adapt to Survive: If a rising power is rising, another dominant power will try to resist them from rising. Leading to the trap of war between two major powers. Thucydides
  • Aware and Anticipate: actions of other states to defend and preemptive attack potential enemies. Niccolò Machiavelli
  • Every State for Themselves: states build compete in building up security making everyone less secure in the Security Dilemma. Thomas Hobbes
  • Mindful Statecraft for Welfare: keeping in mind flaws of human nature to decide what is best security and welfare for people. IR isn’t conducted with morals, its unpredictable. Hans Morgenthau

Thucydides §

States

• …naturally are not equal, they uses power to dominate others and defend themselves
• …must adapt to their situation to survive

Rulers’ decisions are impactful and must be careful what they do about foreign policy

• Foresight: to anticipate and predict what will happen, see which is the best option in making decisions
• Prudence: Must be careful so they would avoid the risk
• Caution:??
• Judgement:??

Justice

• …is about the level of power, is useless, the more power you have the more justified you are
• …is about recognizing your strengths and weaknesses and adapting to the unequal situation

The Thucydides’ Trap §

If a rising power is rising, another dominant power will try to resist them from rising. Leading to the trap of war between two major powers.

Ex: U.S. and China have been challenging one another as China has been quickly growing. (Trade War ⇒ future physical conflict)

Niccolò Machiavelli §

focus on survival and security

The power (lion) and deception (fox) are the two essential means for survival in conduction of foreign policy

• Need of power: to defend one self
• Must be aware and anticipate actions of others
  • Preemptive War: to attack a potential enemy even during time of peace.

“A leader must focus on both power and perception to be able to survive. challenges come in all shapes and sizes, picking one over another is not enough.”

Private Morality in foreign relations will threaten the state’s security and survival

• Bringing good faith of a leader as the reason for the state’s actions

“A leader should not let his good control him. Rather allow himself to flex between good or evil according to the state’s necessity”

Thomas Hobbes §

The state of nature / uncivilized nature is always in the ‘state of every man for himself’

Civilization / Sovereignty States are created to deal with internal and external disorder or threats.

Problem of Security Dilemma §

❌ threat between individuals

States build up security ⇒ others build up security also ⇒ less secure in than first place

state of nature on the international level

• Need of power: to defend one self

• Need of deception: take opportunity to strengthen one self

Private Morality in foreign relations will threaten the state’s security and survival

Public Morality must be practiced to lead a country successfully

• Put security and survival of society and state first, not morality.

✔ threat between states

Hans Morgenthau §

6 principles

• Politics has the nature of self-centered, self regarding first.
• ‘an autonomous sphere to action’ cannot be conducted using morals. You have the freedom to do anything without the care of other’s well beings
• Interests are ever changing, and realism is the set of beliefs to respond to the changing political reality
• The ethic of dealing with international relations is to decide what is best for the people (security & welfares)
• Nations imposing their ideologies on other nations could backfire and threaten the crusading country.
• Statecraft must be conducted knowing the flaws of human nature and not what they could be

III. Shelling and Strategic Realism §

focus on

• examining threats
• find solutions strategically

The Game Theory of IR §

states must know what game they’re playing and to win the game

Finite Game §

• Known players
• Fixed rules
• Agreed on objective

to beat everyone and win

Infinite Game §

• Changing Players
• Unclear Rules
• Player left standing

to run one another out of resources

🔢 Finite player cannot compete with infinite player ⇒ finite player will run out of resources

US fought for victory, Vietnam fought for survival

US took victory from Soviet, but upcoming powers is still challenging US in the Cold War

The Cold War is still going on and is an infinite game with changing players

To succeed in the infinite game, you must filter your actions through your values only, not interests

• make yourself predictable for your allies
• to distinguish between allies and enemies

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Coercion the method to ask an adversary to do what you want

• Threaten/Advise they will be better off if they followed them and worse off if they don’t
• What they have to know
  • What they value most
  • What they fear most
  • What will happen when they follow you, and what happens when they don’t

Brute Force to force an adversary to do what you want

• To attack them into changing their way

IV. Stephen Walt and Structural Realism §

using structure of International system to analyze International Relations

Leaders are influenced by IS structure

Defensive Realism: states seek power for security and survival, overpower provoke hostile alliances

Bipolar vs Multipolar §

Walt values Bipolar

• lesser players easier to deal with
• less miscalculation
• reduce great-power conflicts

The structure of IS change when there’s a shift in Balance of Power

V. Mearsheimer, Stability Theory, and Hegemony §

Offensive Realism: Great powers will always want more power to be the global hegemony

❌ Global Hegemony

✔ Regional Hegemony

• Regional hegemons will resist upcoming hegemons competitors

  U.S. resisting Hegemons

  • Germany in WW1
  • Soviet Union in Cold War
  • China Currently

VI. Neoclassical Realism §

International structure influence states, but states still act for themselves

• Characteristics:

  • International System: Anarchic (Realism)

  • significant importance on the structure of the international state system and the relative power of states (Neo-Realism)

  • Focus importance on leadership and foreign policy (Classical-Realism)

    state leadership operates and foreign policy is carried on within the overall constraints or ‘broad parameters’ of the anarchical structure of international relations

• How is Neo-Classical Realism different
  • It tries to be less harsh on Liberalism’s arguments