CLASSICAL REALISM

CLASSICAL REALISM 

Important points

1. Morgenthau: Politics among Nation
1. human nature 
2. national interest
3. moral principles
1. don't apply
4. deterrence
5. BoP
6. Kenneth Waltz doesn't recognize him as scientific 

Scholar

1. Morgenthau: Politics among Nation
2. published in 1940s
3. purpose of book
1. guidelines to US Foreign Policy
2. US were going more liberal (idealist)
1. creation of LoN, UN
4. context of Book
1. after WW2
1. concern to establish peace

Six principles of International politics: Morgenthau

1. claims these principles to be scientific
1. human nature
1. like humans, state is power seeking
2. national interest
1. like self interest in humans, national interest in foreign policy
3. nature of national interest
1. since dyanamic, hence international politics is dyanamic
2. no permanent friends, no permanent enemies
4. universal moral principles
1. don't apply to conduct of states
2. states don't sacrifice national interest for UMP
5. role of ideology
1. mask or cover up
6. autonomous nature of politics
1. neither based on ethics, nor economics

Morgenthau on peace

1. possibility of peace through
1. world govt
1. good idea but utopia
2. peace through diplomacy
1. nations can balance their relations through this
3. deterrence and Balance of power
2. based on human psychology

Criticism of Morgenthau

1. by liberals, feminists
1. scientific theories not on the basis of human nature
2. understanding of human nature is one sided
3. overlooked better options of peace
4. Kenneth Waltz doesn't recognize him as scientific
1. in scientific, no gap between what is and what ought to be
2. he gives prescription
3. science not based on human nature, but structure
5. Feminists
1. criticise realist in general
2. view as masculinist
3. J Ann Tickner reformulated principles given by Morgenthau