1. Realism

2. Assumptions  States: unitary, rational actors -Treaty of Westphalia (1648)  Anarchy: no central government  Survival: primary objective  Pursuit of power

3. Implications for State Behavior  Security top concern –Security dilemma  Maximize absolute and relative power  Balance rather than bandwagon  Cooperation rare

4. Balancing Power  Internally –Increase relative capabilities  Externally –Enter into alliances

5. System Dynamics  Focus on great powers  Balance of power: stability  Change in resources -> turbulence in the system  Rules made by and for strong states

6. Classical Realism  Aristotle: The Peloponnesian War Hans Morgenthau: Politics Among Nations (1948)  Assumptions based on analogy with human nature –Humans inherently seek power and domination  “First image” theory

7. Structural Realism  Kenneth Waltz: Man, State and War (1954) Theory of International Politics (1979) John Mearsheimer “The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001)  Assumptions follow from the structure of the international system  Third image theory

8. Policy Implications of Realism  Domestic politics irrelevant  Universal rights and norms not applicable to the international realm  “High” vs. “Low” politics –Get involved in low politics only in ways that advance high politics

9. Analytical Advantages  Parsimonious: explains a lot with little  Captures key characteristics of the international system  Persistence of conflict vindicates theory  Emphasizes continuity

10. Analytical Weakness  Accounts for continuity, but not very well for change  Better able to explain than predict  Cannot account for persistence of cooperation  Domestic politics matter increasingly  Self-fulfilling circular prophesy about the inevitability of great power war?

11. The Peloponnesian War