Realism in Us Nuclear Arms Program
Realism: The Sole Propellant behind the U.S Nuclear Policies
The three main theoretical thoughts behind today’s international politics are Realism, Liberalism, and Constructivism. These theories help us in understanding the components that formulate the determinants of international affairs. The three pillars of paradigms are vastly diverse from one another on many different levels.
Realism proclaims that international politics is “governed by the objective law with roots in human nature” (Morgenthau, 4-16), where people’s innate desire to look out for their self interests triumphs on the global political front which compels states to constantly compete for power or security (Walt,38). States, through realist comprehension, use economic and mainly military power to carry out their self-interested motives. Realism falls short in incorporating changes on an international level, which with factors like globalization and advancements in technology has accelerated over the last couple of decades or so.
Perhaps these global shifts that trickle down to societies from the interactions between states AND between other active agents like commercial firms, are better explained through liberalism. Liberalism contends the realist idea of self-interest with the theory that the complexity of economical and political ties among nations supersedes the struggle for dominance through power. The economic thread of liberal theory seems to best fit the current context of the globalizing world: “As societies around the globe become enmeshed in a web of economic and social connections, the costs of disrupting these ties will effectively preclude unilateral state actions, especially the use of force” (Walt, 40). Because liberalism sheds light to the economical factors of international relations, it diverts the singular role of the state as the main unit of foreign affairs to a variety of other components like commercial firms and international organizations. Liberalism, however,
The three main theoretical thoughts behind today’s international politics are Realism, Liberalism, and Constructivism. These theories help us in understanding the components that formulate the determinants of international affairs. The three pillars of paradigms are vastly diverse from one another on many different levels.
Realism proclaims that international politics is “governed by the objective law with roots in human nature” (Morgenthau, 4-16), where people’s innate desire to look out for their self interests triumphs on the global political front which compels states to constantly compete for power or security (Walt,38). States, through realist comprehension, use economic and mainly military power to carry out their self-interested motives. Realism falls short in incorporating changes on an international level, which with factors like globalization and advancements in technology has accelerated over the last couple of decades or so.
Perhaps these global shifts that trickle down to societies from the interactions between states AND between other active agents like commercial firms, are better explained through liberalism. Liberalism contends the realist idea of self-interest with the theory that the complexity of economical and political ties among nations supersedes the struggle for dominance through power. The economic thread of liberal theory seems to best fit the current context of the globalizing world: “As societies around the globe become enmeshed in a web of economic and social connections, the costs of disrupting these ties will effectively preclude unilateral state actions, especially the use of force” (Walt, 40). Because liberalism sheds light to the economical factors of international relations, it diverts the singular role of the state as the main unit of foreign affairs to a variety of other components like commercial firms and international organizations. Liberalism, however,
Bibliography: [1] http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/07/21/what-the-hell-were-we-thinking/ [2] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/documents/2010NuclearPostureReviewReport.pdf [3]http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/06/AR2010040601369.html [4]http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/67973/keir-a-lieber-and-daryl-g-press/obamas-nuclear-upgrade [5] http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/northkorea/nuclear_program/index.html [6] http://articles.cnn.com/2011-06-29/world/iran.missiles.tests_1_nuclear-program-nuclear-activities-peaceful-nuclear-technology?_s=PM:WORLD