Three Normative Traditions in International Politics

1. Three Normative traditions Why states act, how they act and whether change is needed and/or feasible

2. How they reason • Realist: Empirical observations (inductive) • Liberal: A rational design exists (deductive) • Revolutionist: diagnostic and prescriptive (imperative)

3. Human nature and progress • Realist: human nature is evil, rogues prey on fools, conflict and violence are inevitable. • Liberal: There is an underlying design of moral good (moral law). Human nature is blank/good, progress inevitable. • Revolutionist: only the ‘doctrine’ is good. Hard vs. soft solutions

4. Nature of International Politics • Realist: a state of nature, no common sovereign, anarchy, war of all against all. • Liberal: An international society exists (a social contract for states) but needs more law and institutions. • Revolutionist: all politics is one: the brotherhood of man, solidarity by example or by force.

5. Power and National Interest • Realist: Politics is utility. Morality derives from power. A state only pursues self-interest. • Liberal: Power must be transformed into legitimate authority. Justice must limit self-interest. • Revolutionist: (hard) end justifies means, (soft) power is never a means.

6. The state • Realist: state is the final form of political organization. • Liberal: international society to limit or transcend the state. • Revolutionist: state is a false unit, universal oneness is the goal.

7. War and Peace • Realist: war is inevitable, peace is the laboratory of war. War is the extension of the pursuit of interest. • Liberal: peace is the norm, war a violation. Only ‘just war’ to restore peace. • Revolutionist: (hard) war is the agent of change, the doctrine, not peace is the goal.(soft) pacifism and non-resistance.

8. Balance of Power and Diplomacy • Realist: States seek a positive Balance of Power. diplomacy is the intelligent application of power. • Liberal: BoP is a key institution to distribute power evenly. Diplomacy reconciles national interest • Revolutionist: one world republic, rejects BoP ‘game.’ Open conferences, no secret diplomacy

9. International Law and Organization • Realist: law does not bind states: rebus sic stantibus. No organization is legitimate that replaces the state. • Liberal: Law precedes states: Pacta sunt Servanda. Organization must ‘hem in’ the state. • Revolutionist: the doctrine is law. IL is ideology of the Status Quo. Organization is civitas maxima

10. Politics and Morality • Realist: IP is governed not by rights but by interests, by Raison d’ etat. (non-moral) • Liberal: Statesmen are trustees to seek interest tempered by justice. • Revolutionist: (soft) denial of self interest to bring about good.

11. Conclusion • Realist: “…and every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 17:6) • Liberal: “The great task is to discover what [governments] ought to prescribe, for no prescription is valid against the conscience of mankind.” (Lord Acton) • Revolutionist: “Philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways: the point, however, is to change it.” (Karl Marx).