Realism and Neo-realism in international politics

Abstract

Throughout the history of man, there have been attempts to evolve political thought – not only as a mechanism to provide an ideal state to aspire towards, but also to serve as a lens through which to understand the political reality of the day. These treatises vary significantly in terms of their idea, their evolution and even their geography – but the continued evolution of these ideas over the years is testament to the fact that the governance of man has always been a tough topic to decipher. The evolving social and cultural landscapes has made that process all the more complicated. Western treatises about governance go all the way back to Plato and his theory of the philosopher king. The advent of Christianity gave rise to the notion of the divinely ordained right to rule. Succeeding philosophical thoughts included Machiavellianism, Thomas Hobbes and his concept of the Leviathan, Communism and Marxism, Kantian ideologies, and many more. Similarly, there was a parallel but simultaneous development of political thought in the East as well, with notable mentions being Confucianism and the treatises of Chanakya. The development of political philosophy continues to this day, with philosophers like Habermas (with his concept of public spheres), Axel Honneth (with his concept of recognition), Hans Morgenthau (proponent of realism), Kenneth Waltz (proponent of neo-realism) being some of the main proponents. The concept of realism and neo-realism is especially of interest, especially in the world of international relations, as we move towards a world where political-correctness is slowly slipping out of the window. In this paper, we will first examine what realism and neo-realism stand for, before examining its relevance in the world of today. Furthermore, we will seek to practically use this understanding to examine two cases of contemporary importance, one of the diplomatic crisis in Qatar and the other of the state of Jerusalem in the Israel-Palestine conflict through the lens of realism and neo-realism.