China before was in a time of great turmoil, many city-states were eager to achieve power and absolute control over China’s territories. During that time, Sun Tzu was a military general as well as a strategist. He had a lot of victories and this inspired him to write Art of War. The content of his writing are principles and guides during warfare and it also gives military leaders advice on how to be victorious and when to fight. It will teach how to use different weapons. Rules like “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight;” “He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces;” “He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks;” “Victory usually goes to the army who has better trained officers and men;” and “Know the enemy and know yourself. One of his greatest quotes is “Appear weak when you are strong and strong when you are weak.”
Thucydides Peloponnesian War (431 BC – 404 BC)
A historian and philosopher Thucydides said that it all started when Sparta and Athens were once allies to defend themselves from Greco-Persian invaders. They were victorious. In the wake of the Persian retreat, the Athens grew more powerful and started dominate other group nations. Tensions rose between the two, escalating intro nearly three decades of war. When the Athenians lost a lot of army during its disastrous expedition to Sicily, they were outnumbered by the combined alliance of Sparta, Thebes, and Syracuse. Spartan emerged victorious. After Three decades of constant fighting resulted Athens to be bankrupt, demoralized and exhausted. Sparta and its allies as well after the wars were very weak and were in no position to maintain its harsher military hegemony over Greece. The agrarian fighting of the old polis was ended. Thucydides argues that the strong should rule the weak. “What made war inevitable was the growth of Athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta.”
Niccolo Machiavelli The Prince (1513) Realist wrote this book for the rulers who want to preserve its authority. In this book, he advised leaders to engage in violence and deceit as tools against other states. He also said that moral goals are so dangerous, he added, to do moral behavior will bring about disaster. Furthermore, he described immorality, such as dishonesty and killing innocents are normal and being effective in politics.
Thomas Hobbes Leviathan (1642) In this book, he argue that every man is equal and thus the weakest has the capacity enough to kill the strongest either by secret machination or with the help of the other people that are in the same danger with himself. According to him, the order is maintained by a general rule of reason which states that every man ought to achieve peace and since every man is equal in strength and desires, there is certainty that this principle will be followed as long as one’s own security is not endangered. If man cannot obtain it, if he will really seek for peace, he can use all helps and advantages of war. So this refers back to the idea of self-interested state. Hobbes regard was as justified if there are no other ways to achieve and endeavor man’s ultimate goal. This leads on to the realist claim of a moral and value free international system.
Hans J Morgenthau Politics Among Nations (1948)
Base on this book, Morgenthau emphasizes six principles of Realism theory. 1.) Politics is governed by Objective Laws which have roots in Human NaturePolitical
-Realism argues that international politics works and governed on the basis of certain objective laws which have their roots in human nature. The operation of these laws being impervious to our preferences, men will challenge them only at the risk of failure.
2.) National interest
-This principle states that nations will act and do everything in securing their national interests by means of power. This principle provides link between reasons trying to understand international politics and the facts to be understood.
3.) Interest dynamic
-National interest is not fixed, it changes. It always changes in nature and scope. The interest of every nation that determines political action depends on the cultural and political context which a foreign policy is formulated.
4.) Moral actions cannot be applied
-Politics is not ethics and the ruler is not moralist. The main goal of a state is to satisfy, promote welfare and protect the national interest by means of power. Moral actions cannot be applied to state actions in their abstract universal formulation.
5.)Difference between Moral Aspirations of a Nation and the Universal Moral Principles
-A foreign policy is always based on national interest and national power, and not on morality. State actions are based on their national interests as conceived in term of power.
6.) Autonomy of International Politics
-Nations are struggling for power in which every country will do everything to maintain or increase its power. And this is what makes political realism believes the autonomy of international politics.
Knopf, A. (1978) Hans J. Morgenthau, Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace. Retrieved from: https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/morg6.htm