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An Overview of Definition and Similarities - GRIN

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Realism and Liberalism Theory. An Overview of Definition and Similarities

Hausarbeit, 2022
10 Seiten
SA

Salim Abuto (Autor:in)

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Leseprobe

Table of Contents
1.0. Introduction

2.0. Realism Theory

3.0. Liberalism Theory

4.0. Similarities between Realism and Liberalism Theories

5.0. Conclusion

6.0. References

1.0. Introduction
Plato's statement that "only the dead have witnessed the end of battle" echoed events at the time. Ancient Greece experienced far too many conflicts, which led some
to view war as necessary while others saw it as a threat. Philosophers and theorists have been particularly interested in understanding human nature, its place in
social and political life, and ways and means of giving human life purpose from Plato's time to the modern era of political science and international relations
thinking. This line of research and thought that brought mankind to its current state had peace at its core.

This mental activity has been heavily influenced by theories of peace and conflict. The focus has shifted to nation-state interactions over the past three centuries,
though. Theories have emerged that help us better understand how nations interact, what drives them to conflict, what drives them to seek peace, and how these
causes and motives can be manipulated to a point where peace is no longer regarded as a possibility. While theorists have identified them and literature has
illuminated them, in some situations the obsession with peace, power struggles, economic muscle, and increasing borders has resulted in a more hostile state of
international affairs between nations and peoples (Wechsler, 2010).
...
2.0. Realism Theory
Idealism is a subset of liberalism that emphasizes the necessity for nations to act morally and with integrity on a global scale. Idealists contend that conduct deemed
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immoral on a personal level equally violates moral principles when it comes to international policy. As a result, idealists contend that violence, deceit, and
dishonesty ought to be avoided. Since World War I, the Democratic Party has frequently been linked to idealism in the United States. The absence of a centralized
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authority that controls the international system is the foundation of realist international relations theory. In short, anarchy is the norm in the international
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environment, where states are sovereign in themselves and seek either consent or coercion to realize their interests in the international system (Ekeli, 2012).

Realism holds several fundamental presumptions. The underlying premise is that there is no truly authoritative global government and that nation-states are unitary,
geographically based participants in anarchic international systems with no authority above that can control interactions between states. Second, it makes the
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2/25/23, 10:24 AM Realism and Liberalism Theory. An Overview of Definition and Similarities - GRIN
assumption that the main participants in international relations are sovereign states rather than intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, or
multinational businesses. States compete with one another as the highest level of government. In order to maintain and assure its own security, and hence its
sovereignty and survival, a state behaves as a rational autonomous actor in pursuit of its own self-interest. According to realism, states will want to gather resources
to further their interests, and the degree of power between states will decide how they interact. That level of power is in turn determined by the state's military,
economic, and political capabilities (D’Anieri, 2012).

Some realists, such as human nature realists or classical realists, hold that states are inherently aggressive and that only rival powers can restrain their territorial
expansion, while other realists, such as offensive/defensive realists, hold that states are preoccupied with maintaining their security and continuing to exist. The
defensive perspective may result in a security dilemma, whereby enhancing one's own security may increase instability as the opponent(s) fortifies its own defenses,
turning security into a zero-sum game in which only relative benefits may be realized.

As long as states preserve their sovereignty and independence from one another, there cannot be a truly governing international authority to regulate state behavior in
a global setting. Because state survival and preservation is the guiding principle in a realist setting, power is the only tool available to maintain preservation in
anarchy (D’Anieri, 2012). In fact, realist theory holds that international organizations like the United Nations are just formalized ways for nations to exert pressure
on other states and project power. Realist theory holds that conflict, not collaboration, is the norm. For the realist, cooperation is simply a way to exercise power.
Power can be projected in a number of ways military, economic, or diplomatic power but always with an intention to bring about a coercive effect that compels
compliance from foreign actors (Ekeli, 2012).

Realism, liberalism's theoretical rival, does not aim to provide an upbeat picture of international events; rather, its primary goal in the study of international relations
is to emphasize the anarchic nature of international politics. Classical realists, often referred to as traditional realists, believed that because of human nature,
international politics is an immoral endeavor marred by war and struggle. Thomas (1985) advanced the idea that man functioned in a state of nature where no law
existed above him to stop him from behaving immorally or in accordance with a particular set of rules.

According to (Hobbes, 1985) this aspect of nature shaped human nature, which was defined by "competition, diffidence, and glory" among people. (1985, Hobbes)
According to classical realists, international politics is an example of how human nature is put into action. States compete with one another for resources and safety
because there is no mechanism in place to maintain morality among them. This frequently leads to "war of all against all." (1985, Hobbes) By stating that political
realism has its roots in human nature and that this perspective was given in a much more formalized way by Morgenthau (2006), the Hobbes hypothesis was further
cemented. Morgenthau (2006) then outlined six principles of political realism.

Moreover, depending on the viewpoint we choose to take, the effectiveness and utility of the UN vary. Liberals frequently have faith in the ability of international
organizations, particularly the United Nations, as well as other organizations like the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Health
Organization, to sustain the global governance framework. International organizations may not be perfect, but they do help the world avoid war by promoting trade
and diplomacy, two pillars of the liberal interpretation of IR (Wechsler, 2010).

3.0. Liberalism Theory

Realists view the world as being characterized by conflict and anarchy, whereas liberals view it as being characterized by cooperation and the desire for peace.
Liberalism also highlights that, while nations are autonomous and frequently pursue their own interests, individuals, private parties, international organizations, and
multinational businesses play significant mediating roles in the world that realists all too frequently neglect. The United Nations is an international ideology based
on cooperation and peace, not just a crude reflection of self-interested states (D’Anieri, 2012).

Liberal internationalism seeks to create international mechanisms on a global scale that are oriented toward advancing a liberal world order. It predicts a gradual shift
in global politics from anarchy to the rule of law and common institutions. Global free trade, liberal economics, and liberal political systems are all promoted to
some extent (D’Anieri, 2012). Liberal internationalists are also committed to promoting the spread of democracy worldwide. As liberal states have relations that are
marked by non-violence and as ties between democracies are characterized by the democratic peace theory, once realized, it will produce a "peace dividend."
According to liberal internationalism, it is possible to prevent the worst excesses of "power politics" in interstate relations by utilizing multilateral bodies like the
United Nations. In addition, liberal internationalists believe that the best way to spread democracy is to treat all states equally and cooperatively, whether they are
initially democratic or not (Ekeli, 2012).

The International Criminal Court (ICC), an international entity with the power to trump national sovereignty and bring war criminals and perpetrators of crimes
against humanity to justice, is a prime illustration of liberal IR theory in action. In addition, liberal IR theory emphasizes interconnectedness among states far more
than realism does, contrary to realist theory. Additionally, liberalism rejects the realist assumption that states behave as a single entity. Instead, there are frequently
conflicting interests within a state striving to influence foreign policy in different ways (D’Anieri, 2012).

Another claim made by liberalism is that a hegemon who actively engages in international politics can establish stability and a modicum of peace within the
international system. The hegemonic stability hypothesis contends that economic stability, which is viewed as a collective or public good in the international system
and benefits all the states, may be produced by a hegemon in the system of states by having more economic and military might than other states (Ekeli, 2012).
Because other nations profit from the resulting economic stability whether or not they contribute to it, the hegemon is able to do so without sacrificing its own
security interests. This argument is strengthened by the conflict in Ukraine, which highlights the way in which the United States of America, as the global hegemon,
uses soft power to influence the economic environment and "get others to want the same outcomes as it wants," thereby reducing conflict of interest and advancing
global stability (D’Anieri, 2012).

According to liberalism, state conduct is mostly determined by state preferences rather than state capabilities. Liberalism permits a variety of state acts, in contrast to
realism, which views the state as a single actor. As a result, preferences will differ from state to state depending on elements like culture, economic system, and style
of governance (D’Anieri, 2012). According to liberalism, interactions between nations can be either political or security-related ("high politics") or economic or
cultural ("low politics"), whether through businesses, organizations, or private citizens. Therefore, there are many opportunities for cooperation and more expansive
ideas of power, such as cultural capital, which, for instance, can influence how popular a country's culture is and open up a market for its exports, as opposed to
anarchic global systems. Another assumption is that absolute gains can be made through co-operation and interdependence thus peace can be achieved (Ekeli, 2012).

Take, for instance, the trade relations between the United States and China. Despite having nothing in common politically, these two main world powers are so
economically intertwined that any significant downturn in one will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the other. In conclusion, liberal IR theory suggests that
states have a rational interest in cooperation because they understand that it can result in positive sum games that are advantageous to both parties; individuals,
international organizations, and multinational corporations—rather than just states—play a critical role in determining the global environment; and, finally, states are
not just autonomous, unified, and self-interested actors operating within an environment of anarchy, but also rational actors with a variety of interests (D’Anieri,
2012).
... that states will inevitably go to war despite the efforts of international organizations, which have no real influence, even though they do not entirely
Realists contend
reject the United Nations. Realists typically contend that when powerful states' interests are served, international organizations appear to be successful. However, if
the situation changes and a group starts to work against national interests, the situation can be different. Realists frequently use this line of thinking to help explain
why the League of Nations failed in the 1930s by not accommodating Germany and Japan's expansionist desires (Ekeli, 2012).
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An example from now would be the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, which was not approved by the Security Council. Despite resistance, the United States simply
disregarded
4,50 the UN and moved forward. Liberals, on the other hand, contend that the absence of the United Nations would make international relations even more
chaotic because
Sehr gut there would be no credible organization to monitor interstate relations and penalize bad behavior. Even though it is true that the United States
disregarded the United Nations and invaded Iraq, a constructivist would argue that by doing so, it violated accepted norms of international relations. The United
States disregarded a ‘norm’ and even though there was no direct punishment, its behavior was irregular and so would not be without consequence (Wechsler, 2010).

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4.0. Similarities between Realism and Liberalism Theories

Realism and liberalism both support the rationality of participants in the global arena, and both systems include underlying presuppositions that guide a more
comprehensive theoretical framework. There are basically four underlying assumptions in liberal IR theory. First off, state actions in the international arena
frequently lack a unified front of interests because of the distinctive national characteristics of those states (D’Anieri, 2012). Second, given the preceding
supposition, it follows that not all states will behave uniformly in a global setting. Third, non-state actors—such as people or business organizations—are more
important to the development of world politics than states. This also shows that states are merely a composite of the dominant persons and organizations that make
up the state, which is another conclusion that can be drawn from the previous supposition. Fourth, and perhaps more fundamental than the other tenets, people
generally view themselves as good and behave in such a way, so they prefer cooperation to conflict.

Realists and liberals both believe in the use of force to achieve their goals. Military force may also be employed when a liberal state is threatened or bullied by
another one. But theoretically, liberalism is the theory of peace and development and holds that power should be measured through the economy. Liberal ideas, such
as freedom of religion, free markets, civil rights, democratic societies, gender equality, international cooperation, and freedom of speech and the press, contrast with
realist beliefs in ideas like conflicts, aggression, and militaristic expansions, and they also hold that the state will act in accordance with their own ideas and needs
when the situation calls for it. But both theories share the idea that without military power state can be destroyed or insulted by another country (Ekeli, 2012).

[...]
Ende der Leseprobe aus 10 Seiten

Details

Titel
Realism and Liberalism Theory. An Overview of Definition and Similarities
Autor
Salim Abuto (Autor:in)
Jahr
2022
Seiten
10
Katalognummer
V1304879
Sprache
Deutsch
Schlagworte
realism, liberalism, theory, overview, definition, similarities
Preis (Ebook)
6.99

Arbeit zitieren
Salim Abuto (Autor:in), 2022, Realism and Liberalism Theory. An Overview of Definition and Similarities, München, GRIN Verlag,
https://www.grin.com/document/1304879

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