International Relations Theory: REALISM
CORE ASSUMPTIONS
Realism is a school of thought that
emphasizes international relations'
competitive and conflictual aspects.
Assumptions of Realism:
1. The nation-state is the primary
actor in international affairs.
2. The state is a unitary actor.
3. Decision-makers are rational
actors pursuing national interests. 2. NICCOLÒ MACHIAVELLI
4. States exist in anarchy.
Realism is historically based.
● Humans are predictable since their
patterns of behavior, set by nature,
are deeply rooted thus advocates
the idea that humans are egoistic
and power hungry.)
PROPONENTS/PIONEERS SAMPLE CASES/ILLUSTRATIONS
1. THUCYDIDES
● Was the first pioneer of the theory
on realism.
● His writings (The History of the
Peloponnesian War, etc.) and that
of others, were used as bases to
prove that there was a timeless
theory which spanned all
throughout recorded human
history. This theory was named
“realism.”
● Human nature influences state
behavior since individuals are
organized into states.
● He stressed that basic human
characteristics have an impact on
state security.
● A leader’s primary concern should 3. Islamic State Group
be the promotion of national
security.
○ The leader needs to be a
lion and a fox - he needs to
be alert and effectively cope
with internal and external
threats to his rule.
1. World War II
● States trying to enlarge their
territory, like the Third Reich,
ultimately trigger a war
because other states will form
alliances to try to restore the
balance of power.
● US and USSR, despite having
ideological differences, allied
together in order to combat the
rise of Nazi Germany.
2. Cold War
● The United States and the
Soviet Union became enemies
after the war on an ideological
front. (Change in the balance of
power)
● The Islamic State group (also
known as IS, Daesh, ISIS or
ISIL) is a militant group that
follows a fundamentalist
doctrine of Sunni Islam.
● Appointed Abu Bakr al-
Baghdadi as its Caliph after
Realists claim that their theory best
describes the view of world politics held by
statecraft practitioners.
Realists encourage leaders to behave with
power, suspicion, and force.
Realists are criticized as excessively
pessimistic for seeing the confrontational
nature of the international system as
unavoidable, yet for them, facing the
reality of one’s predicament is in fact,
prudence, and not pessimism.
In international relations, the realist
account emphasizes that the possibility
of peaceful change, or any type of
change in general, is limited.
One of realism’s central strategies is the
concept of “balance of power.”
● States are constantly making
decisions to strengthen their own
capabilities while diminishing those
of others.
● No state is permitted to get too
powerful.
● If any one state attempts to overly
expand its power, a war will ensue
for other states, in an attempt to
○ In the conduct of foreign
policy, power (represented
by the lion) and deception
(represented by the fox) are
crucial tools.
● Rulers must obey “ethics of
responsibility” instead of
conventional religious morality that
guides an average citizen.
● Rulers should be good when they
can, but to guarantee the survival
of the state, they must also be
willing to use violence when
necessary.
3. HANS MORGENTHAU
• He sought to develop a Iraq and Syria.
comprehensive international theory
guided by his belief that politics,
like society in general, is
governed by laws rooted in
human nature.
● Every political action, according to
his account, is aimed at keeping,
increasing, or demonstrating
power.
○ He highlighted the
importance of power in
policymaking, as policies
publishing a document stating
his direct lineage to the prophet
Muhammed.
● Intended to create an Islamic
state with new geopolitical,
cultural and political terms
while also deterring Western or
Regional Powers from
meddling in this process.
● Despite it not being an officially
recognized state, by taking and
holding territory in Iraq and
Syria, the Islamic State group
clearly possessed aspects of
statehood.
● IS, through spreading terror, is
utilizing its limited resources to
outweigh Western influence in
How The West Responded
● US, Russia and France relied
on regional powers such as
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran
in order to combat the Islamic
State.
● This coalition downplayed the
role of international
organizations, like the UN,
because having a unified call to
 restore “balance,” will form
alliances to try to defeat it.
● Realism emphasizes
significance of
partnerships as a means of
maintaining survival.
based on idealism or action is difficult due to state
morality can lead to rivalry.
the weakness, and even state ● Deterring an enemy with great
flexible domination or destruction superior force (or its looming
by a competitor. threat) was looked upon as the
○ Promoting national fastest method of regaining
interest is “amoral”, control over IS-held territories.
meaning, not subjected to
moral calculations. 4. Napoleonic War
● After Napoleon crowned
4. KENNETH WALTZ himself as First Consul of
• Moved realism away from its France, France became too
unprovable assumptions regarding powerful and so, Prime Minister
human nature in Theory of Albion of Great Britain sought
International Politics (1979). allies to control the balance of
● Coined “Neorealism” or power.
“Structural Realism”. ● Two factions were formed:
● A State’s decisions and actions are Ferdinand II of Naples, Gustav
determined by a simple formula: IV Adolf of Sweden, Alexander
○ All states are restricted by I of Russia, Francis II of Austria
their participation in an made up the Third Coalition
international anarchic Alliance, and they went against
system (this is the Napoleon and Spain.
structure). ● The Third Coalition was
○ Any course of action they defeated at Austerlitz.
choose is predicated on ● Napoleon created the
their relative power in Confederation of the Rhine
comparison to other states. (Kingdom of Westphalia,
• His version of realism Bavaria, Württemberg, Baden,
recommended theorists to look into and Hesse-Darmstadt).
the characteristics of the
 international system for answers,
rather than delving into human
nature’s flaws.
• He also sparked a new era in IR
theory that attempted to utilize
social scientific methods over
political theory (or philosophical)
methods.
• Waltz’s variables (such as
international anarchy and how
much power a state has, for
example), can be measured
physically/empirically.
GROUP 1 – AB Political Science 2-A (PSC230 – Realism)
Amigable, Justin Asher A.
Blanca, Serene Rose E.
Sumbi, Hanna Xena Mae S.
● Emperor Francis I of Austria
dissolved the Holy Roman
Empire in 1806.
● Prussia led the creation of the
Fourth Coalition with Russia,
Saxony, and Sweden due to
fears of increasing French
influence.
● Napoleon defeated the Fourth
Coalition and expanded French
territories, thus upsetting the
balance of power.