Realism

  • 1513

    Machiavelli, The Prince

    Seen as beginning of realism
    Leaders need to understand people
    Anarchic system, ego centrism
  • WW2 Begins

    Rise of Germany was a threat to liberalism
    Also threatened by invasion of Poland and all the other stuff too
  • WW1 Begins

    States acting in self-interest
    Alliances and cooperation do not always result in peace
  • E.H. Carr, The Twenty Years' Crisis

    International cooperation did not work
    Rise of realism in international politics
  • WW2 ends, Cold War begins

    Bipolarity
    Balance of powers
    Cooperation for self interest
  • Creation of NATO

    Security Alliances
    Spheres of influence
    State centrism
    MAD
  • Cuban Missile Crisis

    MAD
    Brinkmanship
  • Rise of China

    Threat to bipolarity during Cold War
  • Kenneth Waltz, Theory of International Politics

    Neo-realism
    Anarchy
    Self-help
    Balance of power
    Resentment towards hegemon
  • Collapse of USSR

    US hegemony
    Waltz - unipolarity and hegemony can create resentment among emerging powers
  • Invasion of Iraq

    Protect US interests in region
    Oil supplies
    Not based on democracy, WMDs or human rights