ULUSLARARASI İLİŞKİLER TEORİLERİ I - Deneme Sınavı - 8

Unlike classical realism that puts the emphasis on leaders and their decisions and actions at international level; neorealism’s center of attention is the systemic structure that is completely external to the actors, particularly, relative distribution of power and capabilities.

In this vein, considered as the precursor of neorealism, Kenneth Waltz, in his seminal work, Theory of International Politics (1979), tries to develop a scientific approach to understand and explain the international political system.

Simple, rigid, local and flexible are among the types of balance of power.

Walt's theory include AGGREGATE POWER, OFFENSIVE CAPABILITIES, GEOGRAPHICAL PROXIMITY and OFFENSIVE INTENTIONS

Politics Among Nations was written by Hans Morgenthau in 1948.

Realist theory of international relations has four main assumptions:

One of the pioneers of classical realism, Hans Morgenthau (1997) states six principles of realism that could help us comprehend profoundly the realist vision of international phenomenon. These six principles are: 1. Politics is governed by objective laws that have their roots in human nature. 2. Statesmen conduct themselves in terms of interest defined as power. 3. Interest determines political conduct within the political andal context which foreign policy is formulated. 4. Prudence is the supreme virtue in international politics. There can be no political morality without prudence. 5. Nations are entities that pursue their interests as defined by power and should not be judged by universal moral principles. 6. Political realism rejects the legalistic-moralistic approach to international politics.

Realists do not deny existence and necessity of a regulating mechanism at the center of an anarchical environment full of powerseeker, rational and amoral actors. This mechanism is called as “balance of power”.

Table 2.1: Morgenthau’s Concept of Statecraft

Human Nature (basic condition):Self-interest

Political Situation (means and context): Power politics, Political power, Political circumstances, Political skills

Political Conduct (goals and values): Political ethics (prudence, etc.), Human necessities (security, etc.), National interest, Balance of power

Types of BOP: RIGID BALANCE SIMPLE BALANCE MULTIPLE BALANCE LOCAL BALANCE REGIONAL BALANCE GLOBAL BALANCE FLEXIBLE BALANCE.

Offensive realism is built upon the assumption that “[G]reat powers… are always searching for opportunities to gain power over their rivals, with hegemony as their final goal”.

Realism has been the dominant theory of International Relations discipline since the end of the Second World War.

Starting with neo-realism (structural realism) of Kenneth Waltz, followed by offensive/defensive realism of John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt and neoclassical realism of Gideon Rose, realists keep to exert relatively accurate and profound insights regarding the international politics and state behavior in the post-Cold War World.

Edward Carr wrote Twenty Years’ Crisis.

Indeed, realism, liberalism and Marxism are the fundamental divisions which are very common in different studies.

For realist scholars, human is naturally sinful, egoist, interest oriented, aggressive and all the time power seeking in character.

According to neorealism, instabilities in international structure threaten the security of states.

In contrast to realism or conservatism, Wilsonian idealism depends on Kantian liberalism, and it emphasizes the enlargement of the rights of individuals as a main point of concern.

Kantian universalism sees international relations (IR) as a cooperation process.

Burton prefers the concept of world society, instead of international relations which can be counted as a traditional approach. Because, according to Burton, concept of world society comprises not only the concept of international relations, but also relations among other non-state actors and processes at the same time.