Topic > Realism Review

According to realism, the world is in a state of anarchy due to the lack of a governing body or ruling power. States are the main actors on the international scene. They engage with each other solely to maintain security and power. The main types of realism are classical realism, structural realism and neoclassical realism. Classical realists emphasize that the behavior and cooperation of states is due to human nature. They believe that people are selfish and aggressive and that states, the main actors in the international system, are driven by this selfish and aggressive human nature. Hans Morgenthau was an influential classical realist who wrote in his book Politics Among Nations that "politics is governed by objective laws which have their roots in human nature." Morgenthau argued that human nature is inherently imperfect, so conflicts arise when nations aim to gain power. This inevitably does not allow cooperation and leads to war. Evidence of this lack of cooperation is seen in Iraq under the government of Sadam Hussein, who undertook expansionist policies to ensure the survival of his regime against offensive states that were considered a threat to their existence, leading to the invasion of Kuwait by 'Iraq. .Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Neorealists are more interested in the balance of power on the international stage. They argue that the structure of the international system can determine the behavior of states on the international scene. Without such authority states find themselves in a state of anarchy and are free to do as they wish, and this once again leads to a lack of cooperation between states. This lack of cooperation is further explained when we apply the realist assumption that the goal of the state is to maximize security and power. On the other hand, this goal of maximizing security to ensure survival could be a catalyst for cooperation. States can cooperate militarily by forming military alliances, especially smaller states with larger hegemonies. However, in a world where states cannot trust each other's actions, the creation of alliances can lead to further escalation explained by the realist concept of the security dilemma. The security dilemma proposed by John H. Herz is the idea that "in a context of uncertainty and bounded rationality, perceived external threats (real or imagined) generate feelings of insecurity in those states that believe they are the target of such threats , thus leading those states to take measures to increase their power and ability to counter such threats (building alliances, strengthening armaments, and so on. Simply put, when one state sees another increase its power through an increase of armed forces or other forms such as alliances, leads to insecurity among other states as they feel threatened. This, in turn, leads them to increase their military capabilities, which then leads to the same effect on the original state, causing a vicious cycle of constant competition. This makes it extremely difficult for states to cooperate as they are in a constant state of fear. Prime example of this is the current situation of India and Pakistan, where relations have soured after the partition of 'British India in 1947 and there have been numerous conflicts and relations are plagued by suspicion and hostility. For cooperation between states to occur, states must be able to trust each other and the security dilemma.