International Relations Essay - 2632 Words

The first paradigm of international relations is the theory of Realism. Realism is focused on ideas of self-interest and the balance of power. Realism is also divided into two categories, classical realism and neo-realism. Famous political theorist, Hans Morgenthau was a classical realist who believed that national interest was based on three elements, balance of power, military force, and self interest (Kleinberg 2010, 32). He uses four levels of analysis to evaluate the power of a state. The first is that power and influence are not always the same thing. Influence means the ability to affect the decision of those who have the power to control outcomes and power is the ability to determine outcomes. An example of influence and power†¦show more content†¦The power of a state is always contextual and relative. The final level of analysis Morgenthau considers to be important is whether or not the power is legitimate and moral or if it is illegitimate and immoral. Legitimate and moral power carries considerable weight in the international community. However, if the power of a state is derived from illegitimate sources such as a dictatorship the international community will be less responsive to that state, weakening its power. Weak or small states may enter into alliances with stronger states to increase their power and influence within the international community (Kleinberg 2010, 33-34). Morgenthau also believed that the charisma and personality of a leader was very important when reviewing the balance of power and understanding a state’s self interest (Kleinberg 2010, 32). Realism focuses on the balance of power and how it impacts of actions of state actors within the international political system. Morgenthau said that, â€Å"The aspirations for power on the part of several nations, each trying to either maintain or overthrow the status quo, leads of necessity to a configuration that is called the balance of power and to policies that aim at preserving it† (Morgenthau 1967,131). He goes on by explain that not only is the balance of power and the policies that protect it inevitable but also that they are essential forShow MoreRelatedInternational Relations Concepts1059 Words   |  4 PagesInternational Relations 210 Midterm Assignment 1. What does it mean to study international relations? The study of international relations pertains to the understanding of the rules of engagement between the sovereign states. This study falls under the domain of political science and international law studies. Based on the study of international relations, an individual gets an insight into the foreign policies of a government, the political dynamics that are prevalent in a region and overallRead MoreInternational Relation Theory And International Relations Theory1395 Words   |  6 PagesInternational relation theories can be used to explain the meanings of the songs and articles. Through music, the international relation theories can relate to the hidden messages about the song through the language. The two theories that best explain the songs, Imagine by John Lennon and Only Prettier by Miranda Lambert are neoliberalism and constructivism. Neoliberalism is an international relations theory in which, states cooperate together to reach a common goal. 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TheRead MoreThe Theory Of International Relations1535 Words   |  7 PagesWhen studying International Relations, there are various theories involved, three of these theories being: realism, liberalism, and constructivism. A theory is fundamentally ideas and complex concepts that have their own way of understanding something. These theories are used in evaluating world politics, by coming up with a unique way of identifying and explaining the events that occur around the world (Mingst 5). The theories help explain different perspectives on how the world system functions;Read MorePower in International Relations2084 Words   |  8 PagesThe conception is power in International Relations is a key to a better understanding of the discipline. In many cases the definition of power affects the way in which many issues are tackled in foreign policy or security. There are many t heories that try to deal with the conception of power, however they make a rather large number of assumptions that might make them difficult to applicable in real life. Furthermore many of them does not take into consideration that power evolves, therefore if weRead MoreThe Theories of International Relations2314 Words   |  10 Pagesof international relations are the end results of good international relations and system in the world today, most of this theories are not well implemented in most countries which has resulted on conflicts among nations, political instabilities, secessions and all other political unrest. This essay will shed more light on the phases of international relations from the individual stage to the international stage. Firstly, this essay will explain what the theories of international relations areRead MoreMalaysias International Relations Essay956 Words   |  4 PagesMalaysian particularly on the aspect of international relations in order to analyze the behavior pattern of the characteristics of international politics, utility diverse historical junctures in which shifting bases of state power, paths of growth, and official manipulation of social identities join in the regulation of social order that facilitates capital accrual while maintaining state legitimacy in a multi-ethnic context. Therefore the term international relations can be describe in various dimensionsRead MoreThe Importance Of International Relations881 Words   |  4 PagesIn the international system, international relations (IR) theories play an important role in helping people understand how nation-states interact with each other. In their 2017 book, The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Rela tions, Baylis, Smith, and Owens explore two prominent IR theories, liberalism and realism, both of which recognize the existence of anarchy and the importance of the state in the international system. Realists define anarchy as a lack of â€Å"overarching