Thucydides’ narrative of the Melian Dialogue in his work, “the History of the Peloponnesian War,” delivers a primitive account of international relations between two conflicting nation states, as well as any conceivable sequences of action emerging from the aforementioned literature. Although numerous clashes between other nation states have taken place prior to the confrontation between the citizens of Milos and the Athenian empire, this quarrel provides conditions that is applicable to the theories including realism and cosmopolitanism focused on in this class. Realist theory embraces the “world as it is” believing that there is “evil” in everyone and the source of it is the “struggle for power.” On the other hand, cosmopolitan ideology
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following strict standards of quality in gathering evidence and data to ensure his work contained accurate information. Thucydides stuck to empirical standards and did not mention the interference of the gods in his work, instead focusing on analysis, testimonies, and cause and effect in determining the outcome of the war. However, certain biases still existed such as Thucydides race as an Athenian and his stance as a realist. Thucydides’ favoritism towards the Athenians can be seen when he mockingly claims the Melians as deluded for putting their stake in the gods and the Spartans who hold no desire or reason to risk any loss in protecting Milos. Continuing to claim that the Spartans do not hold a reputation of being venturesome or noble when danger is involved. As a political realist, Thucydides believed in might over right as well as the tenants of power and hierarchy determining the rulers of society, seen in the passage, “that in fact the strong do what they have the power to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.” These views of Thucydides form the basis of realist thought, seen throughout “The History of the Peloponnesian War,” and serve to discount the possibility of cosmopolitanism providing an effective or possible solution to international
following strict standards of quality in gathering evidence and data to ensure his work contained accurate information. Thucydides stuck to empirical standards and did not mention the interference of the gods in his work, instead focusing on analysis, testimonies, and cause and effect in determining the outcome of the war. However, certain biases still existed such as Thucydides race as an Athenian and his stance as a realist. Thucydides’ favoritism towards the Athenians can be seen when he mockingly claims the Melians as deluded for putting their stake in the gods and the Spartans who hold no desire or reason to risk any loss in protecting Milos. Continuing to claim that the Spartans do not hold a reputation of being venturesome or noble when danger is involved. As a political realist, Thucydides believed in might over right as well as the tenants of power and hierarchy determining the rulers of society, seen in the passage, “that in fact the strong do what they have the power to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.” These views of Thucydides form the basis of realist thought, seen throughout “The History of the Peloponnesian War,” and serve to discount the possibility of cosmopolitanism providing an effective or possible solution to international