Realism and Idealism in International Relations

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Post-war scenario – the role of the state
Realism vs. idealism – which way is the best?
References

Introduction

In the days that followed World War II, there was a desperate effort in almost all parts of the world to ensure that the basic needs of every single person were met. There was a struggle for shelter, food, and clothing that led to the re-aligning of powers both within a country as well as between two countries. If one were to think about the kind of relations that existed between two countries, it is important to note that this depended entirely on the availability of resources and the bargaining power of each of these countries.

It was therefore quite obvious, that any country that claimed to have access to resources for reconstruction and development, was able to regain lost ground and establish itself as a power, in as short a period of time as possible.

Post-war scenario – the role of the state

In a situation where basic needs are available at a premium, it becomes important for the state to step in. Here ‘state’ refers to the ‘government’, which again in a democratic setup refers to the political party that is in power (at a particular point of time) after having won an election. It is not enough if the state just intervenes in what goes on in a country; it is necessary for a high level of ‘neutrality’ to be maintained in spite of opposing views and ideologies. If the state maintains a balance in society, making sure that all is fair, then there is a good chance of the survival and betterment of those living in a war-torn country.

Therefore, it is the decision-making process that marks the actual importance of a state and determines the role that it plays in the reconstruction of a country. Robert Dahl (1961) avers that it is necessary for an overall balance of interests to be maintained when it comes to making crucial decisions at both local as well as national government levels.

Realism vs. idealism – which way is the best?

Since it is clear that the decision-making power of the state is of great importance, it now rests on how this is to be carried out, with specific reference to international relations. Pluralism, globalism, realism, and idealism are far from being mere ideologies. They are the beliefs of a number of people who are completely convinced by the power of each of these isms as routes to economic and political stability and freedom. Since the most important problem of any age is that of balancing demand with resources, it is the state that has to step in to ensure that the inequality of distribution of these resources is leveled out at some point or the other.

While idealism concentrated on a theoretical approach to any problem, realism centered on how problems could be tackled in ground situations taking into consideration the circumstances of each case. Globalism and pluralism complemented each other as worldviews since both were concerned with the betterment of society as a whole. Pluralism looked for many answers and solutions to a single problem, raising criticism among purists who believed that pluralistic thinking did not actually provide solutions.

Michael Mann (1986) opined that power can be mobilized in ideological, political, military, and economic forms; however, none of these forms of organization automatically possesses this power. Power comes only when the organizational form allows it. Therefore if the state has power, it is because of the huge quantum of organizational ability that it now has within its reach.

References

Dahl, R. 1961. Who Governs? Democracy and Power in an American City. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Mann, M. 1973. Consciousness and Action Among the Western Working Class, New York: Macmillan.

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Realism and Idealism in International Relations

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