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Idealism: International Relations

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Idealism: International Relations
An approach, in simple terms, may be defined as a way of looking at and then explaining a particular phenomenon. The perspective may be broad enough to cover a vast area like world as a whole in the study of politics, or it may be very small embracing just an aspect of local, regional, national or international politics. In brief, an approach ‘consists of criteria of selection-criteria employed in selecting the problems or question to consider and in selecting the data to bring to bear; it consists of standards governing the inclusion and exclusion of question and data.



Realist approach is an important approach related to the study of international Politics. It based on really and tries to explain International Politics in context to reality. This approach revolves around two important elements viz, security and power. The supporters of Realist Approach believe that struggle for power is reality and we can not understand International Politics by ignoring this fact. Realist Approach is an old theory and it was there even in 18th and 19th century. But in International Politics this theory or view point became popular after Second world war and scholars like Max Weber, E.H. Car, Frederick Schuman, Nicholas Spykman, Reinhold Nicbuhr, Arnold Wolfers, Kenneth Thompson, George F. Kennan, Hans J. Morgenthau, Henry Kissinger. Hans. J. Morgenthau is considered the chief exponent of Realist Approach. He has responsible for building a realist model of international relations which seeks to explain all aspects of the struggle for power among nations.

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Human being is sinful and wicked and is always motivated by self interests Lust for power and to establish dominance over others has been a major, all important and all pervasive fact of human nature. Human instinct for power is unquenchable International Politics is struggle for power and it is a war of all against all. In such circumstances every nation makes use of power to

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