Political Realism Is More Appropriate Than Political Idealism

Introduction

Regarding the history of growth and development of International Relations theory, we can divide it in to four significant phases. They are not separated division of each other, but one phase is evolution and development of previous phase. Therefore, we can say these divisions were created for convenience for study the theory. The divisions mentioned as follows,

First one is Historical Phase, which existed for longtime before the beginning of First World War. Before the 1914 there were dominated monarchical political systems around the world. The theory of international relations was not important very much. Always greediness of conquer other's land and using others resources by for was apparent. Diplomacy existed at that time but not in proper manner. In this phase, main interest was in the understanding of relations among States /nations through history, diplomacy and law. Under this phase more intellectuals (like Plato, Aristotle, Karl Marx, and Rousseau) taught various kinds of political and economic philosophies, which paved the way to evolution of phases in international relations. However, the analytical methods were in formulating stage.Because of these reasons they couldn't answer the questions of resolving war via international relations.


Secondly, the Organizational Phase, which formed as a result of First World War. Enormous destruction that it cause, urged intellectuals to study on international relations in a new way. Prevention of war was the main objective that they critically concentrated on. Regarding Idealist thinkers attitude, then US president Woodrow Wilson suggested a necessity of International Organization, which could resolve the international disputes and maintain peace by the eliminating the cause of war. As a result of that League of Nations established. This could be the first political idealist approach that world has ever attempted.

League of Nations did useful service at the beginning but later failed to fulfill the main objective. Because of it's idealist visions some times it couldn't use in the practical world. For instance, Italy invasion of Abyssinia and Japanese invasion of Manchuria, the League of Nations only could warn Italy and Japan but nothing changed. These idealist ideas mostly expected the respect to the virtue of a country, although in practically only rarely can be seen. So, finally League of Nations becomes ineffective and Idealists were severely criticized by thinker called themselves as Realists. Despite Idealist thoughts the Second World War couldn't be prevented. Thus, Realist ideas began to rise.

Thirdly, the Cold War Phase was created by post the Second World War situations. Just after the WWII it weakened previous imperial powers (UK and France), and cause emergence of two super powers (USA and USSR).Tension grew between them. Arms Race, Space Race, achieving nuclear power, proxy wars demonstrated this tension. Not only between those two countries but also countries belong to each other's ideological camps (Capitalist and Socialist).Even there was the UN it couldn't pay much intervention these struggle for power. By the balancing of power both parties stopped the Third World War happening. In this period realist ideas took priority to resolve a incident.

Finally, the Scientific Phase. After the 1960s the development of science and technology many analysts looked at international relation as a science, more like social science. By Creating new methods of theories and this phase evolve until today.

Political Idealism and Political Realism

Idealism dominated the study of International Relations from the end of the First World War until the late 1930s.Sometimes referred to as Utopianism in other word Liberal Internationalism. Immanuel Kant, Richard Cobden, John Hobson and Woodrow Wilson are few of among notable liberal idealists.

Idealists are out of touch with practical thinking, may be more sophisticated to use in practically, they always given priority consideration about moral principles than practical activities and also nave about physical world around them. They were seeking a perfect world in future.

As I mentioned before, idealism come to prominence in reaction to the massacre of the WWI.Analysts study the problem, peace groups formed and debated, universities began to teach international relations as a crucial subject, and many intellectuals began to try to educate people about the benefits of developing an Internationalist Orientation.

Considering thinking of idealists, we can give more prominent place to Woodrow Wilson's "Fourteen Points", a set of principles that he produced to the Versailles Peace Conference in 1919.This document provided an outline for stopping WWI and establishment of League of Nations.

The idealists believe enforcing Parliamentary Democracy will liberalize the world order and will strengthen the International Law. League of Nations was the first step for anarchical world government for peaceful world, according to the idealist analysts. But its impractical application could not prevent the WWII.

A major characteristic of idealism is the belief that what unites human beings is more important than what divides them. They believed in Cosmopolitan ethics rather than national interests and customs and urged the people to reform international system which based on States.

According to our knowledge their was a good example for using idealist ideology to prevent war. In 1938, Britain, France, Italy and Germany signed Munich Pact, the matter over annexation of Sudtenland region of Czechoslovakia from Germany. It kept peace between countries but strengthened war-like Germany.

Idealism fell in to disrepute with the collapse of the League of nations and the outbreak of the WWII.

According to the Realists, realism has been for very long time, since 5th century B.C.Thucydides, Niccolo Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbs and Max Webber are few of them. But modern theoretical approach was begun very recently around 1930s and 1940s.

E.H.Carr and Hans J.Morgenthau are significant characters among modern realists. They claimed there was no natural harmony of interests among states and that it was foolish and even dangerous to hope that the struggle for power among states could be tamed by international law, democratization and international commerce. And they say that this believes made the way the way to WWII and Hitler became more powerful.

Realism always like a pessimistic ideology, but it consists with reality of human beings. That's why it creates grim and suspicious image of international politics. Among realists there are slight differences each and everyone but we can crystallize their ideas as follows,

"A precarious form of order through the balance of power not cosmopolitan justice is the best we can hope for in the international anarchy: a realm of continual struggles for power and security among states."

However, Realism greatly criticized by scholars. In1960s and 1970s scholars believe that this realist ideology was too harsh about human being and decided it should be modified according to economical liberalization and development of science and technology.

Conclusion

Some people (mostly realists) suggested that idealism is an expression of the political philosophy of the satisfied great powers. According to E.H.Carr, a leading realist author, that the idealists are also nave about the role of power in international relations and also he said,"Not all states had an interest in peace. Those who dominated the international system were more likely to pursue peace because it was in their interest to maintain the international status quo. Contrary to the behalf of the idealists, then, there was no natural harmony of interests among states".

If we think that idealism totally invalid to today's politics, it is wrong. Nowadays people accept the liberal thinking in international relations than Cold War time; and also try to experiment by using it (e.g.:-European Union).But in practically until control human ambitions "idealism" would not work effective in international politics.

Today, intellectuals are asking that is there any validity of realism to modern globalizing world. My idea is yes. It is valid because we still experiencing conflicts among human beings. Last five decades there was many intrastate wars than interstate wars, also killing more than killed in WWII. So, realists are more forward at the moment, and idealist should wait until their "utopia" will become true. Therefore, I agree the idea "Political Realism is more appropriate than Political Idealism in understanding and explaining International Relations".