Morgenthau’s Realist Theory (6 Principles)

Dr. Afroz Ahmad

Assistant Professor
School of Law

BA and BABALL
• Morgenthau has explained six principles of his Realist Theory. These together
constitute the essence of his Political Realism.

• I. First Principle:
• Politics is governed by Objective Laws which have roots in Human Nature:
• The first principle of political realism holds that “politics, like society in general,
is governed by objective laws that have their roots in human nature.” It is as such
necessary to understand these laws and build a rational theory of international
politics. “These laws cannot be refuted and challenged.

• Facts of Human Nature:

• For knowing the objective laws of human nature, we must analyze the facts of
human relations. Human nature is fairly constant and therefore a review of the
history of human relations and actions can help us to know these objective laws.
• II. Second Principle:
• National Interest defined in terms of National Power:
•  
• 2. (i) The master key and the core of Morgenthau’s Realism is its second principle.
This principle holds that nations always define and act for securing their national
interests by means of power.
• “The main sign-post that helps political realism to find its way through the landscape
of international politics is the concept of interest defined in terms of power. This
concept provides the link between reason trying to understand international politics
and the facts to be understood.” —Morgenthau
• 2. (ii) National Interest is always secured by the use of National Power. Each nation
conceptualizes its national interests in terms of power and then acts to secure these
by means of power. History fully supports this view. A national interest not backed by
power exists only on paper and in imagination. The only correct way to conceptualize
and define national interest is in terms of power.
• III. Third Principle:
• Interest is always Dynamic:

• Political realism believes in the universal validity of the concept of interest defined in
terms of power. The policies and actions of a nation are always governed by national
interest. The idea of national interest is the essence of politics and is unaffected by
the circumstances of time and place.

• However, the content of national interest is always changing in nature and scope. It is
not static. It changes with changes in political and social environment. National
interest is dynamic and has to be continuously analyzed for examining the policies
and actions of a state.

• The kind of interest which determines political action in a particular period of history
depends upon the political and cultural context within which a foreign policy is
formulated.
• IV. Fourth Principle:
• Abstract Moral Principles cannot be applied to Politics:
• Political realism realizes the importance of moral principles but holds that in their
abstract and universal formulations these cannot be applied to state actions.

• The moral significance of political action is undisputed but the universal moral
principles cannot be applied to the actions of states, unless these are analyzed in the
light of specific conditions of time and space. Moral principles do not determine
policies and actions of states. These are simply a source of some influence.
• Realism believes that states are not expected to observe the same standards of
morality as are binding upon and observed by men.

• A state cannot sacrifice the liberty or security or other fundamental national

interests for following moral principles. Politics is not ethics and the ruler is not a
moralist. The primary function of a state is to satisfy and protect the demands of
national interest by means of national power.
• V. Fifth Principle:
• Difference between Moral Aspirations of a Nation and the Universal Moral
Principles:
• Political realism refuses to identify the moral aspirations of a particular nation with
the moral principles that govern the universe. It refuses to accept that the national
interests and policies of any particular nation reflect universally applied moral
principles.

• Each nation tries to cover its national interests under the cloak of several moral
principles. An identification of national policies as the true manifestations of moral
principles is bound to be misleading and politically pernicious.

• The US anti-terror policy is governed by its own national interest and not really based
on the concept of making the world safe for freedom and democracy. A foreign policy
is always based on national interest and national power, and not on morality,
• VI. Sixth Principle:
• Autonomy of International Politics:
• Morgenthau Political Realism accepts the autonomy of International Politics as a
discipline. On the basis of the above five principles, it is ascertained by Morgenthau
that there exists a real and profound difference between political realism and other
approaches and theories. Political realism has its distinctive intellectual and moral
attitude towards political matters. It maintains the autonomy of the political sphere.

• “A political realist always thinks in terms of interest defined as power, as an

economist thinks of interest defined as wealth; the lawyer, of the conformity of action
with legal rules and the moralist, of the conformity of action with moral principles.”

• Political realism is neither idealistic nor legalistic and nor even moralistic in its
approach to International Politics. It is concerned with national interest defined in
terms of power as its sole concern.