International relation theory
5605 mots
23 pages
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International relations theory
REALISM
Realism is the conservative theory of international relations that has maintained its place throughout the development of modern political science. Its premise is that all states are rational actors and their main goal is to attain power to survive.
There are five basic assumptions that explain the realist theory.
The first one is the anarchy. The world is anarchic, meaning that there is no global government. A government is a means of protection for citizens living within a community. Citizens within a nation depend on government for protection from outside threats produced by other nations or rogue actors, like terrorists. Because there is no global governance, it is important for a nation to have as much power as it can to ensure that its citizens are protected.
The second one is maintaining sovereignty. Nations want to rule themselves to pursue their own domestic destinies. If a nation is constantly battling the imposition of another, it can't focus on its own domestic affairs. In relation, If a person is constantly worrying about being fired (power struggle) then they act differently in regards to raising his or her children, perhaps by skimping, sending them to bad schools, or making them work to help out. However, if a person doesn't have to worry about money (security) then they can send their kids where they want, have money to buy them what they need, and make decisions for the household that they want to make.
The third is military is the greatest resource of power. The most common way for a nation to get protection and have domestic freedom is to have a strong military. Any type of military is essential for protection, whether it is strictly