POIR8420.

Understanding World Politics

Lecture 3: Classical Realism
DR. GOVAND KHALID AZEEZ
Introduction and Lecture Outline

1. Introduction
2. Who are the ‘Realists’?
3. Classical Realism
4. Realism before Modernity
5. Realism in Modernity
6. Key attributes of Classical Realism

FACULTY OF ARTS | DEPARTMENT OF MHPIR 2

Key Principles of Realism

 The theory of realism upholds six basic principles:

1.International system is structurally anarchic.
2.Sovereign state is the fundamental/principal actor
and force of politics.
3.The state is a single, unified and indivisible unit
dictated by a single national interest.
4.The state’s fundamental goal is its own survival and
supremacy.
5.Ideals, ideologies, norms, values do not matter or
are only instruments for power accumulation.
6.Power and capabilities of the state is the only
indicator of how state to state relationships will be
conducted.

 Definition: realism posits that the state is the main force

and character in the political domain (national or
international). Other forces exist—individuals, firms,
nations and the market—but they have no or limited
power.
OFFICE | FACULTY | DEPARTMENT 3
Realism and the Classical Tradition
THUCYDIDES (c.460-395)

• The founding ‘father of realism’.

• A historian attempting to examine the
nature of war
― Examines the period of warfare
between Sparta and Athens in 431BC.
• Emphasis on violence and power, on
building ‘alliances’
• A certain conceptualisation of human
nature that is not only omnipresent but
ahistorical, a-cultural and a-temporal.
• Universal deduction of principles from the
war.
Realism and the Classical Tradition
THUCYDIDES (C.460-395)

‘Right, as the world goes, is only in question between

equals in power, while the strong do what they can and
the weak suffer what they must’.
…
‘The Peloponnesian War turns out to be no dry chronicle
of abstract cause and effect. No, it is above all an
intense, riveting, and timeless story of strong and weak
men, of heroes and scoundrels and innocents too, all
caught in the fateful circumstances of rebellion, plague,
and war that always strip away the veneer of culture and
show us for what we really are’.
Thucydides in ‘Peloponnesian War.

OFFICE | FACULTY | DEPARTMENT 5

The Realist Paradigm in Plato
MIGHT IS RIGHT

In book one of the Republic, a dialogue occurs between Socrates and

Thrasymachus. Socrates puts forward the position that justice is a
fundamental Good.

In response Thrasymachus puts forward the idea that ‘might is right’.

Or, what is just is pushed by might : ‘Justice is nothing other than
what is advantageous for the strong’

Thrasymachus states that ‘injustice, if it is on a large enough scale, is

stronger, freer, and more masterly than justice’ (344c). In arguing the
might is right positions he puts forward three principles:
1. Justice is nothing but the advantage of the stronger (338c)
2. Justice is obedience to laws (339b)
3. Justice is nothing but the advantage of another (343c).

OFFICE | FACULTY | DEPARTMENT 6

Realism and the Classical Tradition
MACHIAVELLI (1469-1527)

1. Examined the intricate political and military

relations between different states in the Italian
system of the 16th century.
2. Three key themes based on a New Science of
Politics: Power, the coordination and formation of
alliances, the dismissal of morality.
3. Emphasis on violence and dynamic prudent
strategy (alliances), use of virtue (deception,
dishonesty, etc.)
4. Politics was the discourse of utilising violence to
maintain order.
-Promote stability and freedom from every kind of
foreign control, as Italy was constantly subjected to
foreign control: France, Spain and Papacy.
Realism and the Classical Tradition
MACHIAVELLI (1469-1527)

‘…that they [men] are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and
as long as you succeed they are yours entirely; they will offer you their
blood, property, life, and children, as is said above, when the need is far
distant; but when it approaches they turn against you. And that prince
who, relying entirely on their promises, has neglected other precautions,
is ruined; because friendships that are obtained by payments, and not
by greatness or nobility of mind, may indeed be earned, but they are not
secured, and in time of need cannot be relied upon; and men have less
scruple in offending one who is beloved than one who is feared, for love
is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of
men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear
preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails’.

‘It is far better to be feared than loved”

‘He ought not to quit good courses if he can help it, but should show how to
follow evil courses if he must’.
Realism and the Classical Tradition
MACHIAVELLI’S APPROACH
THE PRINCE
• What is deemed evil by one is not necessarily
evil for another. No universal Good and Evil but
pragmatic strategies.
• Politics must be made distinct to ethics, morality
and religion.
• The primary goal of the ‘people’ should be to
focus on what is and not what ought to be.
Pragmatic realism as opposed to idealism.
• Should be miserly rather than liberal, feared
rather than loved, and faithless and deceptive,
even violent, if necessary to reach ultimate
political goals.
• Power is a positive concept.
SOCIETY AND THE INDIVIDUAL
• Individuals ought to not think about the ideal,
the ethical and the impossible but rather on
setting for ‘taking the least harmful as good’.
• Focus not on philosophy of ideas, idealistic
dreams and visions but rather be pragmatic,
realistic and accepting of the brute reality.
• Theology and philosophy are not ideal political
compasses.
• People are not community oriented but rather
selfish.
• All individuals are responsible for their choice.
Yet he conceives those in power as outside of
law and order. A metaphysical position.
• Altruism or rational collectivist ideals do not
exist.
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Religious Ideas
REALISM AND CHRISTIANITY

THE PRINCE
• Machiavelli’s conception of human nature heavily influenced by Christian values.

• ‘Fall from the Grace’ vs ‘State of Grace’-

• Original Sin and the Machiavellian and realist subject.

• Recurring warfare, violence and domination is linked to wickedness of man. This led to the
idea of ‘state of nature’.

• God was to issue a set of commandments (Social Contract)

• God and the state play the same role of punishing the wicked.

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Realism and the Classical Tradition
HOBBES (1588-1679)

1. State of Nature: predominantly violent, dangerous

and to be avoided at all costs. This is due to the
wicked and egoistic interpretation of human nature.
2. Anarchy organises this world. The state and its
tentacles are missing. Ego
3. A concept and an epoch that designated a pre-
social condition. A condition were the state and
structured governance was not organised.
-No omnipresent and omnipotent state
-Members behaved immorally towards each other.
-Homo homini lupus
4. Life  Solitary, poor, nasty and short-lived.
5. The solution? for the masses to submit to the
authority of an absolute, unlimited and undivided
sovereign power.
Realism and the Classical Tradition
HOBBES (1588-1679)

• The Sovereign is given absolute

power to protect the security of the
commonwealth. There is no power
sharing in Hobbes’ conception of
Sovereign.
• Subjects are subjected to the
power of the sovereign. They give
up their ‘natural rights’ in return for
protection. The contract that they
make is between the subject and
subjects.
• The sovereign is not bounded or
part of the contract.
• Outside of civil state, international
state of nature still prevails
Realism on the Eve of Modernity
OTHER KEY THINKERS

1. Spinoza and the international realm

2. Rousseau: despite his anti-realist conception of
human nature reaffirms the relationship
between power, domination and states under
‘civilization’
3. Carl Von Clausewitz: The theorization of war

‘War is not a mere act of policy but a true political instrument, a

continuation of political activity by other means’.

‘Kind-hearted people might of course think there was some

ingenious way to disarm or defeat the enemy without too much
bloodshed, and might imagine this is the true goal of the art of
war. Pleasant as it sounds, it is a fallacy that must be
exposed: War is such a dangerous business that mistakes that
come from kindness are the very worst’ (Clausewitz).
The Political Economy of Realist View?

 Mercantilism or Economic Realism is the theory of

international political economy that emphasizes the
need for building a wealth as a means of power.
 The state controls production, trade, and exchange.
 It involves wealth accumulation, establishment of
positive or favorable trade with other countries.
 The state must control the use and exchange of
precious metals (gold, silvery, etc.)
 Restrains import and intensifies export. High tariff
and tax of imported goods.
 The doctrine emerges at the time of establishment
of the Westphalian state and colonialism and
imperialism soon after. It emphasized one way
trade with colonies.
 A doctrine upheld by statesmen, aristocrats, ruling
political elites in feudal and late feudal age.

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Critique of Realism
SOME ISSUES WITH THE THEORY

Shortcomings with the theory

• Only the prospect of total obliteration of humanity leads a realist to
abandon the key realist assumption: struggle for power among states.
• The assumption is vague, because the concept of power poorly defined.
The need for a more precise account of “the competition for power” and
its source.
• Realist account of human nature has been proven false by new
sciences (neurology, biology, psychology, psychoanalysis, etc.).
• “Human nature” explains little and no evidence for its impact on
international relations.
• Conjectures and hypotheses made into Universal Laws.
• State is made into a natural indestructible object (cosmos, natre )or
subject (God)

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