Thucydides

Power, as defined in its simplest form is universally conceived as the ability one has to persuade or force another to carry out an act which they otherwise would not do. The concept of power is a central theme to the study of International Relations, as there exist many forms and categories of it making it open to contestation and thus difficult to define. In particular, large entities and state power is the discourse in indicating social, political, economic, and military power. The many…

most famous theories: realism,liberalism, and constructivism along with their core perceptions of the world and their criticism following regards them through other lenses. The first theory that I will be approaching is Realism which was founded by Thucydides, Thomas Hobbes, and Niccolò Machiavelli. Realism’s core assumptions are: states are the main actors in international politics, states desire power, states are rational actors, and the system is anarchical. Sovereign states are in charge of…

Wives of Greek The Athenian historian, political philosopher and general Thucydides said ones, “The greatest glory [for women] is to be least talked about among men, whether in praise or blame”. Most of the sources that survived from the Ancient Greece are written for men for men. According to the historian and novelist Helena P. Schrader, this is because, " There are surviving evidence about work of art featuring women, but just a few of information about their accomplishments and contributes…

Menaldo states “Pericles style of speaking, rhetorical ability, and preference for rational explanation, became well settled in him on account of his great natural genius. His preference for rationality over customs, omens and divinations made its way into his policy proposals….Pericles Olympian loftiness, composure, calmness, and even the composure that characterized his tone of voice, present the embodiment of a political leader who derived his authority through his self-command and persuasive…

Violence is never the answer. It is a much heard phrase, however, these wise words are almost never followed. Violence seems like a fragile beast that no one has full control over. People, groups, and states all display acts of violence and the reasons why can vary. Some rely on violence when they feel as if they have no other option, and there are people whose basic instinct is to commit a violent act. The basic reasons violence exists is, because it is a potential option. It can be used as a…

Strategic information security field has increased in the last from century from World War I, World War II and the current and post the Cold War. Obviously, the status quo changed with the end of the Cold War and the onset of the September 11th?s attacks on America, the strategic security field is now abuzz with what will come next. Among the strategic security analysts, we have seen that Huntington believes in future conflict, which is based on ?civilization? lines drawn on a variety of…

to diffuse potentially competing and conflicting issues. Realism, being the oldest International Relations theory gives a pessimistic view of human nature. Realists believe that. Some of the known Realists who shaped the ideals of Realism include Thucydides, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Carr, etc. All these realists have much in common and that the state of nature is the state of war, leaders should be ruthless but also fair, neighbors are never to be trusted, etc. Realists believe…

Major powers have been the object of constant interest, yet scholarly attention to their status—separate from their capabilities—has followed a cyclical pattern. The salience of major power status was recognized as early as the Melian debates (Thucydides 1951:331), resuscitated systematically by Galtung’s (1964) classic work, and followed by a short explosion of scholarship (e.g., East 1972; Gilpin 1981; Midlarsky 1975; Wallace 1971; 1973). However, status considerations receded again as…

During the Victorian Era, classification of individuals was based on ethnography and physical appearance. If you were not perceived as being a European, then you belong to the so-called “other” group which mostly consisted of native people or people of colour. The concept of othering emerged, arguably, when Europeans came into direct contact with Indigenous people of North America. The visible difference in appearance and dialogue led to perceiving natives as being different. The language around…

Ancient civilizations have significantly impacted the world today, mostly during their golden age. Their geography, politics, and achievements have also separated the mediocre civilizations and the great ones. Both the Han Dynasty of Ancient China and Athens, Greece, fell into the latter category. The Han Dynasty lasted from 206 BC and survived until 220 AD and was far more advanced than other civilizations during their time period. After the collapse of the Qin Dynasty, Liu Bang rose to power…