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  • Essay / Realism Review

    According to realism, the world is in a state of anarchy due to the absence of a governing body or dominant power. States are the main actors on the international scene. They only engage with each other to maintain security and power. The main types of realism are classical realism, structural realism, and neoclassical realism. Classical realists emphasize that state behavior and cooperation are due to human nature. They believe that people are selfish and aggressive and that states, the main actors in the international system, are guided by this selfish and aggressive human nature. Hans Morgenthau was an influential classical realist who wrote in his book Politics Among Nations that "politics is governed by objective laws which have their roots in human nature." Morgenthau argued that human nature is inherently imperfect and that conflict arises when nations seek power. This inevitably does not allow cooperation and leads to war. Evidence of this lack of cooperation can be seen in Iraq under the reign of Sadam Hussein, both of whom pursued expansionist policies in order to ensure the survival of his regime against offensive states seen as a threat to their existence, which led to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. .Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Neo-realists are more concerned with the balance of power in the international arena. They argue that the structure of the international system can determine the behavior of states in the international arena. Without such authority, states are in a state of anarchy and are free to do whatever they want, which again leads to a lack of cooperation between states. This lack of cooperation is further explained when we apply the realistic assumption that the goal of the state is to maximize security and power. On the other hand, this goal of maximizing security to ensure survival could be a catalyst for cooperation. States can cooperate militarily by forming military alliances, especially smaller states with greater hegemony. However, in a world where states cannot trust the actions of others, the creation of alliances can lead to further escalation explained by the realist conception of the security dilemma. The security dilemma proposed by John H. Herz is "the idea that, in a context of uncertainty and bounded rationality, perceived external threats (real or imagined) generate feelings of insecurity in states that believe themselves the target of such threats, thus leading to these states having to adopt measures to increase their power and capacity to counter such threats (creation of alliances, accumulation of weapons, etc.)". In simple terms, when a state sees another increase its power through increased military force or other forms such as alliances, this leads to insecurity among other states who feel threatened. This, in turn, leads them to. increase their military capabilities, which leads to the same effect on the home state, causing a vicious cycle of constant competition. This makes it extremely difficult for states to cooperate, as they are constantly in a state of fear. is the current situation of India and Pakistan, where relations have been strained since the partition of British India in 1947, where there have been many conflicts and where relations are rife with suspicion and hostility. For cooperation between States to take place, they must be able to trust each other..