Political Thinkers

Front 1

John Herz

Back 1

Realist

Was the original theorist of the Security Dilemma

Wrote: Political Realism and Political Idealism (1951)

Front 2

E. H. Carr

Back 2

Classical Realist

Said our best intentions will inevitably collapse

He was an advocate of morality in international relations

Wrote: The Twenty Years Crisis (1939)

Front 3

Kenneth Waltz

Back 3

Neorealist

Founded neorealism.

Came up with the theory of international anarchy

An advocate of nuclear weapons as a means to peace

Thought that there were three causes of war: human nature, internal structure of nations (authoritarian = war), and international structure

Wrote: Man, the State and War (1959)

Front 4

Francis Fukuyama

Back 4

Liberal democracy is the final form of government for all nations

When the Berlin Wall fell, history ended.

Wrote: The End of History and the Last Man (1993)

Front 5

John Mearsheimer

Back 5

Realist

Was a realist theorist.

Claimed that the Cold War was one of the most peaceful times in human history.

Front 6

Samuel Huntington

Back 6

Realist

Claimed that the differences in civilizations are irreconcilable and will end in clash.

Thought that Democratic Peace Theory is fallacious.

Wrote: The Clash of Civilizations (1996)

Front 7

Thomas Paine

Back 7

Kantian

Believed that 'Kings will go to war, Republics will not'

Wrote: Common Sense (1776)

Front 8

Charles Reynolds

Back 8

Realist

Came up with the Power-Security Hypothesis, claiming that one state's security is another's insecurity

Security dilemma theorist

Wrote: The Politics of War (1989)

Front 9

Hans Morgenthau

Back 9

Classical Realist

Original theorist behind classical realism.

Believed that the nation's interest was of the utmost importance, but also that morality had a place in international relations.

Major researcher of functionalism (the importance of supranational institutions)

Believed that nuclear weapons should be managed by supranational entities (contrast to neorealists like Waltz)

Opposed the Vietnam War

Created the six principles of political realism.

Wrote: Politics Among Nations (1948)

Front 10

Hidemi Suganami

Back 10

Structuralist

Original theorist behind structuralism

Structuralism holds that war cannot be entirely by accident and that there must be structural elements already in place that lead to war.

Wrote: The Causes of War (1996)

Front 11

Carl Von Clausewitz

Back 11

Realist

Claimed that war is inherently rational, and is just another form of politics.

Theorized about the 'fog of war' saying that uncertainty in war about the other side's actions will lead to escalation.

Wrote: On war (1832)

Front 12

Immanuel Kant

Back 12

Kantian (...)

Theorized about democratic peace theory, saying that people will never vote for war, and that public accountability of politicians will make it virtually impossible for two democratic countries to go to war with one another.

Also claimed that states will learn from suffering.

Wrote: Towards Perpetual Peace (1795)

Front 13

Karl Marx

Back 13

Marxist (...)

Economic competition causes war.

The more division, the more war.

Wrote: Das Kapital (1867)

Front 14

Vladimir Lenin

Back 14

Marxist

Theorized that imperialism was the highest stage of capitalism and would lead ultimately to a revolutionary struggle.

Led a revolutionary struggle.

Wrote: Imperialism: the Highest Stage of Capitalism (1916)