The first Great Debate between Idealism and Realism

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The first Great Debatebetween Idealism and
Realism
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Grand Theories of International Relations

• In its effort to find answers to
  extra-scientific political and societal crises
  and problems, the science of International
  Relations, over time, has produced a number of
  different Grand Theories of international
  politics, which try to grasp its subject matter
  and phenomena on the basis of
• different perspectives of perception/interpretatio
  n
• different sets of questions
• different anthropological
• different normative and ethical
• and different methodological predispositions and
  presuppositions

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Grand Theories of I.R. II

• Grand Theories differ in view of their
  ontological assumptions, i.e. those assumptions
  referring to the nature of their research
  objects.
• Grand Theories formulate different premisses and
  assumptions regarding
• the international milieu, i.e. the characteristic
  outlook, quality, and structure of the
  environment in which international actors act
• the quality, character, and substance of
  international actors themselves
• actors aims and interests and the means which
  actors, as a rule, use in the fulfillment of
  their aims and interests.

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Grand Theories and World Views

• Each and every Grand Theory formulates a
  characteristic world view of International
  Relations Grand Theories and their world views
  compete with each other without offering science
  a possibility to decide which of the Grand
  Theories is the (only) correct representation of
  international reality.
• If it would want to decide this question, science
  would need an Archemedian point over and beyond
  the competition of the Grand Theories, which
  would enable it to establish firm criterias for
  deciding on the truth or falseness of those
  premisses on which Grand Theories base their
  ontological edifice.
• This Archemedian point is nowhere in sight !!

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Grand Theories of International Relations
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Grand Theories of International Relations II
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The traditional concept of international
politics States as
international gatekeepers
IGO
INGO
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LOOKING AT THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM FROM A
RECENT
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS PERSPECTIVE

• For some time already, the analysis of
  International Relations is characterised by a
  change in perspective
• away from the state as a unitary actor acting
  as a gatekeeper between the domestic and
  international policy areas
• up, down, and sideways to supra-state,
  sub-state, and non-state actors.

From the society of states, our focus of
attention has consequently shifted to
transnational and transgovernmental societies
which take the form of boundary-crossing
networks amongst individuals and non-governmental
organisations (NGOs).
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Cobweb model of international Relations
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Transnational Society (of Actors)
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Transnational Politics
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Political Realism

• Realism, also known as political realism (in
  order to distinguish it from philosophical
  Realism), encompasses a variety of theories and
  approaches, all of which share a belief that
  states are primarily motivated by the desire for
  military and economic power or security, rather
  than ideals or ethics. This term is often
  synonymous with power politics.

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What is Realism

• The term "Realism" is used with such frequency
  that it appears to defy the need for definition -
  all that needs to be known about the concept
  seems to be encapsulated in the word. Yet closer
  examination uncovers a great deal of variation.
  Each of the principal Realist theorists - Carr,
  Morgenthau and Waltz - offer their own
  definitions, and often focus on the aspects they
  wish to emphasise.
• Divisions of opinion exist between the classical
  (or traditional) Realists and the structural
  Realists (neorealists) and within these broad
  groupings there are further variations and shades
  of opinion. All share a large part of a common
  body of thought, but many have particular aspects
  on which they differ. Too precise a definition
  excludes some individuals too broad a
  description loses some common threads of thought.

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What is Realism II

• Of the threads that make up the Realist school,
  the most important ideas include
• International relations are subject to objective
  study. Events can be described in terms of laws,
  in much the same way that a phenomenon in the
  sciences might be described. These laws remain
  true at all places and times.
• The state is the most important actor of
  internaqtional politics. At different times in
  history the state may be represented by the
  tribe, city-state, empire, kingdom or
  nation-state. Implicit in this is that
  supra-national structures, sub-national ones and
  individuals are of lesser analytical importance.
  Thus the United Nations, Shell, the Papacy,
  political parties, interest groups, etc, are all
  relatively unimportant to the Realist.
• The first corollary is that the international
  system shows a structure of anarchy, with no
  common sovereign.
• A second corollary is that the state is a unitary
  actor. The state acts in a consistent way,
  without any sign of split purposes.
• Further, state behaviour is rational - or can
  best be approxi-mated by rational
  decision-making. States act as though they
  logically assess the costs and benefits of each
  course open to them and then optimize/maximize
  their gains.
• .

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What is Realism II contd.

• States act to maximise either their security or
  power. The distinction here often proves moot as
  the optimum method to guarantee ones security is
  frequently equated with maximising ones power.
• States often rely on the threat of or application
  of force to achieve their ends.
• The most important factor in determining what
  happens in international relations is the
  distribution of power between international
  actors.
• Ethical considerations are usually discounted.
  Universal moral values are difficult to define,
  and unachievable without both survival and power.

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• Classical Authors of
  International Relations
• Hedley Bull The Anarchical Society. A Study of
  Order in World Politics. 3. Aufl.Basingstoke
  Palgrave Macmillan 2002
• Edward Hallett Carr The Twenty Years Crisis
  1919 1939. An Introduction to the Study of
  International Relations. 2.Aufl. London
  Macmillan 1974
• Hans J. Morgenthau Politics Among Nations. New
  YorkAlfred A.Knopf 1960
• Edward L.Morse Modernization and the
  Transformation of International Relations. New
  York Free Press 1976
• Kenneth N. Waltz Man, the state and war. A
  theoretical analysis. New York Columbia UP 1959
• Adam Watson The Evolution of International
  Society. A comparative historical analysis.
  London Routledge 1992
• Martin Wight International Theory. The three
  traditions, ed. Gabriele Wight Brian Porter.
  Leicester Leicester U.P. 1991

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Realism More Characteristics

• The international system is anarchic. There is no
  authority above states capable of regulating
  their interactions states must arrive at
  relations with other states on their own, rather
  than it being dictated to them by some higher
  controlling entity.
• Sovereign states are the principal actors in the
  international system. International institutions,
  non-governmental organizations, multinational
  corporations, individuals and other sub-state or
  trans-state actors are viewed as having little
  independent influence.
• States are rational unitary actors each moving
  towards their own national interest. There is a
  general distrust of long-term cooperation or
  alliance.

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Realism Still more Characteristics

• The overriding 'national interest' of each state
  is its national security and survival.
• In pursuit of national security, states strive to
  amass resources.
• Relations between states are determined by their
  comparative level of power derived primarily from
  their military and economic capabilities.
• There are no universal principles which all
  states can use to guide their actions. Instead, a
  state must be ever aware of the actions of the
  states around it and must use a pragmatic
  approach to resolve the problems that arise.

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Realism yet more

• To sum up, realists believe that mankind is not
  inherently benevolent but rather self-centered
  and competitive. This Hobbesian perspective,
  which views human nature as selfish and
  conflictual, leads to a state of nature which can
  only be overcome by a social contract on the
  societal level. Thus estab-lishing a Leviathan on
  the state level, the state of nature is freed to
  move up the ladder of analysis to the level of
  the international system.
• Further, they believe that states are inherently
  aggressive (offensive realism) and/or obsessed
  with security (defensive realism) and that
  territorial expansion is only constrained by
  opposing power(s). This aggressive build-up,
  however, leads to a security dilemma where
  increasing one's own security can bring along
  greater instability as the opponent(s) build up
  their own arms. Thus, international and/or
  security politics is a zero-sum game where an
  increase in one partys security means a loss for
  the security of others.

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Die Struktur des Sicherheitsdilemma-Theorems
Anarchisches internationales Selbsthilfesystem
Unsicherheit des einzelnen Akteurs
Sicherheit begriffen als militärische
Überlegenheit
Militärischer Schutz durch Rüstung
A rüstet
B fühlt sich bedroht
B rüstet marginal stärker als A
A fühlt sich bedroht
A rüstet marginal stärker als B
B fühlt sich bedroht
usw.
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Was ist das Sicherheitsdilemma ?Definition nach
Herz 1961

• Das Sicherheits- oder Machtdilemma ist
  diejenige
• Sozialkonstellation, die sich ergibt, wenn
• (a) Machteinheiten (wie z.B. Staaten und Nationen
  in ihren außenpolitischen Beziehungen)
  nebeneinander bestehen,
• (b) ohne Normen unterworfen zu sein,
• (c) die von einer höheren Stelle gesetzt wären
  und sie hindern würden, sich gegenseitig
  anzugreifen.
• In einem derartigen Zustand treibt ein aus
  gegenseitiger Furcht und gegenseitigem Misstrauen
  geborenes Unsicherheitsgefühl die Einheiten in
  einem Wettstreit um Macht dazu, ihrer Sicherheit
  halber immer mehr Macht anzuhäufen, ein Streben,
  das unerfüllbar bleibt, weil sich vollkommene
  Sicherheit nie erreichen läßt. (Herz 1961
  130f.)

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Literaturtip

• John H.Herz Weltpolitik im Atomzeitalter.
  Stuttgart 1961.
• John H.Herz Staatenwelt und Weltpolitik.
  Aufsätze zur inter-nationalen Politik im
  Nuklearzeit-alter. Hamburg 1974.

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The Birth of Realism Morgenthau

• In the immediate aftermath of the Second World
  War, Hans J. Morgenthau was credited with having
  systematised classical Realism. His Politics
  Among Nations became the standard textbook, and
  continued to be reprinted after his death.
• Morgenthau starts with the claim that he is
  presenting a "theory of international politics".
  He sees his theory bringing "order and meaning"
  to the mass of facts of international politics.
  It both explains the observed phenomena and is
  logically consistent, based on fixed premisses.
  Like Carr, he sees this Realism as a contrast to
  liberal idealism.

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The Birth of Realism Morgenthau II

• Morgenthaus theory is based on six principles he
  enumerates in his first chapter. In summary,
  these principles are
• 1. Politics, like society in general, is governed
  by objective laws that have their roots in human
  nature which is unchanging therefore it is
  possi-ble to develop a rational theory that
  reflects these objective laws.
• 2. The main signpost of political realism is the
  concept of interest defined in terms of power
  which infuses rational order into the subject
  matter of politics, and thus makes the
  theoretical under-standing of politics possible.
  Political realism stresses the rational,
  objective and unemotional.
• 3. Realism assumes that interest defined as power
  is an objective category which is universally
  valid but not with a meaning that is fixed once
  and for all. Power is the control of man over man.

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The Birth of Realism Morgenthau III

• 4. Political realism is aware of the moral
  signifigance of political action. it is also
  aware of the tension between moral command and
  the requirements of successful political action.
• 5. Political realism refuses to identify the
  moral aspirations of a particular nation with the
  moral laws that govern the universe. It is the
  concept of interest defined in terms of power
  that saves us from moral excess and political
  folly.
• 6. The political realist maintains the autonomy
  of the political sphere. He asks "How does this
  policy affect the power of the nation?" Political
  realism is based on a pluralistic conception of
  human nature. A man who is nothing but "political
  man" would be a beast, for he would be completely
  lacking in moral restraints. But, in order to
  develop an autonomous theory of political
  behavior, "political man" must be abstracted from
  other aspects of human nature.

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Literaturtipp

• E.H.Carr The 20 Years Crisis 1919 1939. An
  Introduction to the Study of International
  Relations. 2nd ed. London Macmillan 1974 u.ö.
• Kenneth N. Waltz Man, the State and War. A
  theoretical analysis. New York Columbia UP 1959
• John A. Vasquez The Power of Power Politics.
  From Classical Realism to Neotraditionalism.
  Cambridge Cambridge UP 1998

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Kennlinien des klassischen Realismus

• Ideengeschichtliche Quellen

• Historischer Hintergrund
• Radizierung von Herrschaft
• Genese der friedens- und sicherheitsstiftenden
  Funktion des Territorialstaats
• Trennung von Innen und Aussen
• Entstehung des europäischen Staatensystems seit
  1648/1713

Machiavelli
Entwicklung des Staatsräsongedankes als
legitimatorischer Bezugspunkt für die
Selbstbehauptung des modernen Territorialstaats.
Hobbes
Überwindung des innergesellschaftlichen
Naturzustands durch die gesellschaftsvertragliche
Begründung des Leviathan
Legitimation von Herrschaft als Garant einer
territorial abgegrenzten sicherheitsgemeinschaftli
chen Schutzzone Basis der Souveränitätsanspruchs
Freisetzung des Naturzustands-Konzepts zur
Charakterisierung der Beziehung zwischen solchen
Schutzzonen (d.h. souveränen Staaten)
Idealtypisch-metaphorische Charakteristika der
internationalen Politik
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Idealtypisch-metaphorische Charakteristika der
internationalen Politik
Systemebene
Akteursebene

• anarchische Struktur
• Sicherheitsdilemma Erhöhung der eigenen
  Sicherheit durch Stärkung militärischer
  Fähigkeiten verringert die Sicherheit anderer
  Folge spiralenförmiger Rüstungswettlauf
• Gleichgewicht der Mächte durch Abschreckung
• Internationale Politik als Nullsummenspiel
  staatlicher Akteure um Macht, Ressourcen, Einfluss

• exklusiver Handlungsanspruch der Akteure im
  Bereich der high politics
• Territorialität Schutzfunktion der harten
  Schale
• zweckrationales, nutzenmaximierendes
  /nutzen-optimierendes Handeln
• Prinzip der (notfalls militärischen) Selbsthilfe
  bei der Durchsetzung von Interessen

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Literaturtipp

• Robert G. Wesson State Systems. International
  Pluralism, Politics, and Culture. New York Free
  Press 1978
• Hedley Bull The Anarchical Society. A Study of
  Order in World Politics. 3.Aufl. Basingstoke
  Palgrave 2002
• Barry Buzan/Richard Little International Systems
  in World History. Oxford OUP 2000
• Heinz Duchhardt/Franz Knipping (Hrsg.) Handbuch
  der Geschichte der Internationalen Beziehungen in
  9 Bänden. Paderborn Ferdinand Schöningh 1997ff

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Schönen Abend noch