“Realism is not likely to disappear” (Jervis, 1998) is a fair statement to make when observing the current global political climate as realist foreign policy can be seen on the rise in states across the world, especially the US and China. Realism as a theory (according to the Encyclopedia of Philosophy) can be defined simplistically as states acting as “primary agents that maximize, or ought to maximize, their power”. The theory can be traced back to the 19th century idea of ‘realpolitik’ where emphasis was placed on the politics of reality and observing the actions of states as objective facts. The fact the theory has endured for so long and is still popular today can be attributed to the fact that it is still relevant for describing relations between states, it offers a highly plausible presentation of human nature and the theory has been able to evolve to match the changing global political landscape.
Realism remains highly pertinent when attempting to explain the actions of states internationally, and this relevance can be credited as a reason for its continued popularity. A critical element of this sustained relevancy can be ascribed to the fact it is so prevalent amongst academic circles. As a theory, it has “dominated the academic study of international relations” (Encyclopedia Britannica), particularly in the US where realism and liberalism are the two dominating theories behind the study of political science. Its popularity in the US has led to increased prevalence in global politics as policy makers in organisations such as the UN and NATO adopted the school of thought. Palan & Blair assert that “realist theory is generally considered the most coherent interpretation available of the nature and causes of political events” (1993, p.385) and as a result it is unsurprising that suggestions of realism can be detected in many of the foreign policy decisions made by leading world powers in the last decade. In his ‘Six Principles of Political Realism’ (1978) Morgenthau argues that realist actions of states may be masked in moral justifications, a good example being Operation Shader. This 2014 UK led military intervention in Iraq was presented as a humanitarian mission to liberate citizens from the threat of ISIL, yet can also be interpreted as a realist move by the UK to exhibit military power in the region. There are a multitude of examples of realist intervention in recent history indicating that realism is still popular as it is detectable today.
Realism also continues to enjoy popularity due to the nature of the theory in regard to its stance on human nature. Realism suggests that humans are deeply flawed and selfish creatures that act only to further their own interests, an idea that Morgenthau explores as his first principle of realism in which he argues that all political actions “have their roots” (1978, p.4) in human nature. Fear also plays a fundamental role in a realist understanding of human behaviour, as due to the fact humans are inherently weak and fearful they must defend their national interest at all costs from other selfish and power-seeking states, resulting in a climate of anxiety and uncertainty. This climate of fear has historical precedence in stand-offs such as the cold war, as well as current iterations such as the apprehension surrounding the foreign policy decisions of North Korea. The idea that humans are fallible is made more credible by the fact that political philosophers have been making the argument for centuries, for example Hobbes comments on the “nasty, brutish and short” nature of human temperaments in the mid 17th century (Leviathan, 1651). This negative conception of human nature has aided the popularity of realism as it seems like a more authentic depiction of true human behaviour than other ideological theories, particularly liberalism that relies upon the interdependency and cooperation of states to explain political actions (not reflected in recent trends, e.g: Brexit).
Whereas other theories such as Marxism have fallen out of favour in academic circles in regard to explaining current global events, realism has remained popular due to its ability to evolve with the changing political trends of the last century. Initially emerging as a result of the horrors of WWII, classical realism explained states actions as a result of human nature and their inherent yearning for power. Morgenthau categorised this desire into 3 patterns (Dunne, Schmidt, 2017, p.107): keeping power, increasing power and demonstrating power; a model incredibly reflective of the global political environment at the time. An example of this can be found in the US and UK performing the Berlin Airlift (a clear demonstration of power directed at the USSR) from 1948-49, just as Morgenthau published his seminal work on Realism – Realism and Politics Among Nations (1948). Yet as the Cold War developed, classical realism was critiqued for a seemingly overly simplistic view of human nature, and neorealism emerged. This evolution in ideology was critical to ensuring realism remained popular as neorealism asserted that struggles for power were not due to human nature but rather developed out of a desire for security. Mearsheimer argued “the most powerful state is the one that prevails” (2001) and developed the theory of offensive realism that posited the best way for a state to survive is to maximize their power to guarantee security. This validity of this theory is frequently exhibited in current political action from Chinese intervention in the South China Sea to Russia’s annexation of the Crimea in 2014. Thus through its various transformations realism has managed to respond to criticism and circumstance to maintain its political currency.
Perhaps best put by Morgenthau, “the struggle for power is universal in time and space” (1978). This single assertion is able to effectively summarise the ongoing popularity of realism as realism is predominantly concerned with power (Dunne, Schmidt, 2017, p.102). Struggles for power will always be ongoing due to the fact states have conflicting interests and the resources required to resolve these disputes are finite. Thus realism will continue to prevail as one of the most popular international relations theories as power imbalances and conflicts are an inevitable part of global politics.