Understanding International Politics | Realism and Idealism theory

Understanding international politics

Understanding international politics 1
Application of realism and idealism theory to the study of international relations
Both realism and Idealism are two competing traditional theories applied to the study
of international relations. The realism theory esteems global politics as a struggle for power
among nations. This approach signifies the efforts of a nation to utilise national power for
safeguarding goals of the national interest. On the other side, idealism theory enhances the
course of international relations by eradicating inequality, war, hunger, tyranny supervision,
force and violence from the global relations. This theory admits the possibility of forming a
world free from these troubles by relying upon science, motive and education.
The realism theory is also identified as political realism. The realism theory follows a
power sight of international relations. This theory states politics as a fight for power and
pursues to explicate through factors like security, power and national interest. The power is
described as a psychological association in which an individual can regulate the behaviour of
another individual. A political actor is one who constantly pursues to safeguard one’s
interests as described in terms of power. The political realism further esteems farsightedness
as a leader in politics. The realism in international relations is greatly focused on realist
norms of human behaviour (Rush, 2018). This theory believes that human behaviour is
generally associated with concerns about ego and discrete passions and desires along with the
existence of wicked in human beings. It is believed that agreed conditions of the world,
humans themselves are left to do what they can then it will result in carrying out evil actions
in contradiction of others. The realism theory majorly focuses on egoistic desires and
disastrous prevalence of evil in political actions. As the passions are enduring, the conflict is
foreseeable. The state is the most significant factor in international relations. These are the
dominated one. Political realism offers the clue that international relations are fundamentally
conflictual. According to realism theory, the international system creates conflict and tension.
The reason behind is the negative sight of human nature. It has to do more with the erection
of the international system (Wohlforth & Zubok, 2017). The reason behind viewing the
system as one by the realists that lead to the struggle has to do with the idea of anarchy. The
world has become an anarchical system. It shows that there is no predominant power
controlling of the behaviour of the actors within the state system. The realistic theory is
moreover a ‘self-help system’ where a country searching for discovery generally leave its
present and latent advisories insecure (Villanueva, 2017). A country persisting for complete
safety leaves all others in the complete insecure system. It offers an influential inducement
for arms races and other types of unreceptive interactions. When it is about international

Understanding international politics 2
relations, realism tries to amass power. The power inequity represents the probability of the
war. The power powerful state can even outbreak a weak state without any consequence. The
realism theory prevents war and the balanced states would less attack and fight on others
(Paasi, 2016). Moreover, realism in international relations has focused on the significance of
power.
The idealism theory stands for enhancing international relations. It approves the
possibility of forming a world free from the harms by relying upon science, motive and
edification. The political idealism in the international relations signifies a framework of
thoughts which collected face war and activist the restructuring of the global community by
reliance upon ethical values and advancement of global organizations and global law. This
theory derives strength from the overall idea of evolutionary growth in society and spirit of
liberalism idealism which was at the spinal of American policies, majorly during the inter-
war years (Bertoldi, 2018). The idealism theory provides the conceptual framework upon
which international relations can be assessed. It even analyses the decision making of
interstate actors. The idealism theory focuses on the requirement of states to chase moral
goals and act ethically in the international field. According to this theory behaviour,
deliberate immoral on an interpersonal level is also dissolute in the international policy
(Acharya, 2019). So, violence should be avoided. The idealism believes that human nature is
really decent and proficient of decent conducts in international relations. The human welfare
and development of civilization are the concerns considered by the idealism theory. This
theory also believes that bad human behaviour is the result of a bad atmosphere and bad
organizations. The bad behaviour can be eradicated through restructuring the environment.
The restructuring of international wars can result in the eradication of wars. There is a
requirement of global efforts to end war along with fierceness and oppression from
international relations (Hamati-Ataya, 2018). The international community is required to
effort for eradicating such international instruments, elements and practices leading to war.
The international institutions are dedicated to preserving global concord, so global laws and
orders should be advanced to secure peace, affluence and advancement. When it comes to
international relations, the idealistic theory can be employed in dual ways, narrow and broad.
The comprehensive understanding views idealism as a perpetual doctrine or outlook towards
international relations which can be viewed in all the ancient periods where independent
political societies occur in the absenteeism of central government (Kripke, 2017). As a
positive doctrine, idealism pursues to surpass the global anarchy and form a more tuneful

Understanding international politics 3
world. The slight empathetic views idealism as personally tied to the interwar period. It has a
principle which conquered the 1st phase of IR theorising, focusing on the mounting
interdependence with the unity of manhood. Add on, the idealistic theory focuses on the
power of reason to overwhelmed bias and faces the intrigues of ominous forces. It has been
believed that the feast of both education and democracy comprising progressing democratic
regulation of the overseas policy. It will inspire the world public viewpoint and make it an
influential force so that no government can resist. The war is viewed as a ailment of the
global body tactful in conflicting interests of all bar a few distinct interests and governments
(Kaymaz, 2019). The major tenets of idealism comprise:
 All human beings should be abided by communal standards like natural laws. There is
a universal ethic common to all the persons.
 The war is seen immoral by the idealists. Peace is always better than war.
 The breakdown of wisdom as per the idealists, whereas realists consider that it
becomes coherent due to anarchy. Therefore, war is irrational.
 The idealists consider that the humans can live together in harmony if the proper
measures are ensured. It leads to the harmony of interests.
 The trade between the states encourages peace.
 The idealists are tending to be more optimistic concerning human nature. People are
good and in the appropriate setting, they can enjoy the peace and can be free from the
conflicts. Human beings are tied to mutual humanity.
 People are active enough to take charge of politics. Public opinion has power.
When it comes to international relations, the liberals consider that the full execution of
democracy can offer a harmony of interests with wealth and good life. The war disrupts to the
economies badly, these are damaging and not required at all. These even lead to loss majorly
to most persons in the world.

Understanding international politics 4
References
Acharya, A. (2019). From Heaven to Earth:‘Cultural Idealism’and ‘Moral Realism’as
Chinese Contributions to Global International Relations. The Chinese Journal of
International Politics, 12(4), 467-494.
Bertoldi, N. (2018). Stanley Hoffmann’s International Liberalism and the Quest for a
Realistic Utopia. The Tocqueville Review, 39(2), 93-112.
Hamati-Ataya, I. (2018). The Sociology of Knowledge as Postphilosophical Epistemology:
Out of IR’s “Socially Constructed” Idealism. International Studies Review, 20(1), 3-
29.
Kaymaz, N. P. (2019). From Imperialism to Internationalism: British Idealism and Human
Rights. The International History Review, 41(6), 1235-1255.
Kripke, S. A. (2017). History and Idealism: The Theory of RG Collingwood. Collingwood
and British Idealism Studies, 23(1), 9-29.
Paasi, A. (2016). A border theory: an unattainable dream or a realistic aim for border
scholars?. In The Routledge research companion to border studies (pp. 33-54).
Routledge.
Rush, F. (2018). Idealism, Realism, and Critical Theory. In The Routledge Companion to the
Frankfurt School (pp. 457-470). Routledge.
Villanueva, R. (2017). Hobson's Theory of Imperialism and its Indebtedness to Socialism: A
Challenge to Conventional Narratives of early International Relations. Australian
Journal of Politics & History, 63(4), 508-523.
Wohlforth, W. C., & Zubok, V. M. (2017). An abiding antagonism: realism, idealism and the
mirage of western–Russian partnership after the Cold War. International
Politics, 54(4), 405-419.