Realism, Liberalism and Radicalism

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that realism, liberalism, and radicalism assert that the state should promote the best interests of a specific group above all else: For realists, the interests of the state are paramount; for liberals, individual and, for radicals, the interests of the majority should be promoted above both the interests of the state and the interests of individuals. The author points out that the differences dictate the way war is viewed: For realists, war is necessary when it is in the best interests of the state; for liberals, war is never in the best interests of the individual and, for radicals, international war is usually not in the best interests of the majority, but civil war in the form of violent revolution is very much in the majority's interests. The paper concludes that the best ways of engaging in or avoiding international conflict can be deduced from each of these general principles.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Realism
Liberalism
Radicalism
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"According to the realist view, war is caused when two or more nation-states compete for the same resources. These resources may be of any sort. If all of the nations involved are pursuing their own interests, a conflict-possibly a violent conflict-will inevitably result. When this occurs, it is the state's obligation to fight the war in whatever manner is in the state's best interests. This could involve devoting all of the state's resources to the war, or saving some resources on reserve if a drawn-out war is expected. When it is no longer in the state's best interests to fight the war, it must surrender or use another method for the cessation of hostility."

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