Though the idea of studying politics as a field had
sprung up during the time of Confucius and Plato but it was not after the World
War 1 that people felt the need to open their horizons and delve further into
the field of international relations.
A major contribution to the field was done by
Morgenthau by proposing fundamental principles of political realism that aid in
studying the field from a realistic perspective. In my view, Morgenthau has
done a remarkable job by giving an insight into realism through six principles
that lay the foundation of Realism theory. However, just as every international
relations theory has positive and negative aspects, I find some of the points
open to criticism.
The first principle states that politics is governed
by objective laws that have roots in human nature which are rigid; therefore,
it is possible to construct a generalized theory. I disagree with this point as
I believe that the nature of a person is influenced by eternal factors which
are constantly changing ultimately shaping the nature and interests of people. Moreover,
I cease to understand the stance of
Morgenthau on moral significance of
political actions. In principle four he accepts that a tension between moral
commands and requirements of political actions exists while in principle five
he claims that political realism is free from moral aspirations. It is power,
above all, that controls everything and prevents morality from overshadowing
decisions intended towards the benefit of the society. However, it is hard for
me to digest this preposition as eventually morals determine the intentions of
people which then are reflected by their actions.
Overall, Morgenthau’s principles has made the study
of international relations from realistic perspective a lot easier, however, there is still a need
to further clarify or even amend some of the principles.
I agree. Morgenthau has advanced a way to look at international relations from a realist perspective, but it still leaves much to be desired.
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