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9 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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How long has realism been around?
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goes back to the beginning of modernity and has pre-modern precursors
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What is realism's view on normative things?
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traditional realism has strong normative content even though there is skepticism about international normative categories
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Important Thinkers of realism:
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Thucydides, Niccolò Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau; in the 20th century E. H. Carr, Hans Morgenthau, Reinhold Niebuhr, George Kennan, Henry Kissinger
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What are the principles of the human nature argument for realism?
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human nature is bad
human beings seek advantage and power over others in pursuit of self-interest self-interest trumps moral principle clash of self-interests leads people to conflict conflict is a persistent feature of the human condition |
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What is the Anarchy Argument for realsim?
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anarchy makes conflict more difficult to manage
external security and state survival are the most important tasks for foreign policy states are unwilling to participate in arrangements that could increase another state’s power relative to their own there is no one to enforce the idea that the good of the whole ought to take precedence over the good of the individual parts |
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How do realists feel about Morality/Law and IR?
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international normative categories are of marginal importance
states don’t agree on what rules of morality or law actually mean in particular situations in addition, those rules will likely be ignored when they go against vital national interests at the end of the day power decides outcomes Thucydides (460-400 BCE): “the strong do what they have the power to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.” |
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How do realists feel about Morality and The State/Foreign Policy?
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normative categories do apply to the state
the state is a moral community; realism tends to be distinctly communitarian the national interest is therefore a moral category foreign policy should be judged on how well it takes care of security and welfare of its people consequentialist ethic: results, not intentions, are what matters |
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What are some Realist Prescriptions?
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you have to seek the good of the state
Machiavelli (1469-1527): vital interests need to be pursued by whatever means necessary defend by force only vital national security interests; otherwise use moderation, compromise, prudence ideological crusades can endanger the security of the state a key goal – interstate peace and stability |
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What are some facts of the Russia-Georgia Conflict?
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Russia played the role of an “impartial peacekeeper” on the Georgian separatist territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
On Aug. 8, 2008 Georgia, a rising democracy and a US ally, attempted to retake South Ossetia militarily Russia sent a considerable invasion force to “protect its peacekeepers and avert genocide of Russian citizens” Russia defeated Georgia and stationed more troops there On Aug. 26, 2008 Russia recognized the two territories as independent countries |
