REALISM - also known as political realism, is a view of international politics that stresses its

competitive and conflictual side. It is usually contrasted with idealism or liberalism, which
tends to emphasize cooperation.
REALISM THEORISTS - Realism as a self-conscious movement in the study of international
relations emerged during the mid-20th century.
In the seventeenth century, the English political philosopher Thomas Hobbes,
whose Leviathan advocated absolute monarchy, admired Thucydides and in 1628 was the first to
translate his writings into English directly from Greek. Thucydides, Hobbes, and Machiavelli are
together considered the founding fathers of western political realism,

Thucydides - was an Athenian historian and general. His History of the Peloponnesian
War recounts the fifth-century BC war between Sparta and Athens until the year 411 BC.

Thucydides quotes:

“The strong should rule the weak as they have the power to do so.”

“—war is inevitable in an international system where anarchy is the rule.

State power is not subject to the influence of people, multinational corporations, terrorists, or
international organizations. The state itself is the supreme power. Balance, peace and progress
are maintained and achieved through tactful negotiation and balance of power.
Mercantilism - a form of economic nationalism that sought to increase the prosperity and power of a
nation through restrictive trade practices.
Thomas Hobbes - was an English philosopher. Hobbes is best known for his 1651 book Leviathan, in
which he expounds an influential formulation of social contract theory.

Hans Morgenthau