Hans J. Morgenthau, 1948 (2006, 7th edition) Politics Among Nations, chap. 1-3
*
Core elements of Morgenthau's philosophy of IR:
-
a realist theory,
-
politics a s a
struggle for power
-
foreign policies
of the major powers
-
nationalism
-
national power
-
diplomacy
-
the possibilities
for a world state
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Contents(flow)
1. Theory and practice of IP (realist theory)
2. International Politics as a Struggle for Power
(power, status quo, imperialism, prestige, ideological element)
3. National Power (essence and elements of national
power)
4. Limitations of National Power- Balance of Power
(methods, structure of BOP)
5. Limitations of National Power- Int'l Morality and
World Public Opinion (morality, mores, and law)
6. Limitations of National Power- Int'l Law
(sovereignty)
7. IP in the contemporary world (nationalism, new BOP,
total war)
8. Problem of Peace - Peace through Limitation
(disarmament, security, judicial settlement, int'l gov, UN)
9. Problem of Peace - Peace through Transformation
(world state, world community)
10. Problem of Peace - Peace through Accommodation
(diplomacy)
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- - - -
[1]
Theory: Classical Realism.
Key tems: Power, morality, and peace
(1)
6 principles of political realism
1. Politics is governed by objective laws that have
their roots in human nature. Realism believes in the possibility of developing
a rational theory that reflects these objective laws.
2. Interest defined in terms of power (not motives nor
ideological preferences)
-
good motives do
not guarantee the moral goodness and political success
-
requires a sharp
distinction between the desirable and the possible
-
rational foreign
policy min risks and max benefits, and hence, complies with both prudence(moral
precept) and success(requirement)
3. Interest is the essence of politics and is
unaffected by time and place
4. Universal moral principles cannot be applied to the
actions of states, although realism is aware of the moral significance of
political action.
-
Realism considers
prudence to be the supreme virtue in politics
5. It is the concept of interest defined in terms of
power that saves us from both moral excess and political folly. Realism refuses
to distinguish the moral aspirations from true aspiration of a nation.
-
All nations are
tempted to cloth their particular aspirations and actions in the moral purposes
of the universe
6. Realism defends its autonomy of the political
sphere against other schools (e.g. economy, law, moralism)
(2)
The Science of International Politics
·
Different approaches
to IR: historians, lawyers, and political scientists
·
Difficulty of
theorizing international politics: the ambiguity. Similarities and differences
of events/political situations
·
International
peace has become the prime concern of all nations after two world wars. 2
central concepts in a discussion of world politics are 1) power and 2) peace.
-
Moving force of
world is the state’s aspiration for power
-
Peace can be
maintained by 2 devices: 1) self-regulatory mechanism of the social
forces—balance of power and 2) normative limitations upon struggle—int’l law,
int’l morality, and world public opinion.
(3)
Political power
·
International
politics is a struggle for power. Power is always the immediate aim.
-
No power
consideration: some actions are undertaken without any consideration of power
(e.g. legal, economic, humanitarian, and cultural activities)
-
Degree of
involvement: Nations involved in international politics to different extents.
·
Nature of power
(distinction)
-
Political power =
the mutual relations of control among the holders of public authority and
between the latter and the people at large = a psychological relations between
those who exercise it and those over whom it is exercised
-
A has political
power over B = A is able to control certain actions of B through influencing
B’s mind.
·
4 distinctions
between
-
power vs.
influence,
-
Power vs. force,
-
usable vs.
unusable power,
-
legitimate vs.
illegitimate power
·
All human
activities are related to power (at family, professional, local and state
level)
·
Modern science of
peace (19c-) starts from the assumption that the world is accessible to science
and reason, and that it contains in itself all the elements necessary for the
harmonious cooperation of all mankind.
-
It is science to
detect those elements (e.g. harmony of interest, law of economics, free trade, modern
communications)
>> Do not
agree. These are not innate but element should be built through experience and
lessons.
-
Conflicts
among nations are due to maladjustments, lack of understanding, or the
influence of political passion
-
Searching of
the magic formula which will substitute for the uncertainties and risks of
political action the certitude of rational calculation. The magic formula
wanted is simple, rational, and mechanical. The reality is complicated,
irrational, and incalculable. à compelling to simplify the reality of int’l politics
-
Bentham:
struggle for colonies as the main cause for war
-
Marxist:
socialism is peace
[2]
Critique
·
(from Waltz) Morgenthau’s
focus on human nature as the source for power seeking requires strong
assumptions. Waltz turns the focus onto structure as necessitating power hungry
states for security reasons. (Harvard)
·
The concept of
power is broadly defined and does not distinguish between resources that give
states power (economic, military) and the act of one state exerting power over
another. (Harvard)
