Disagreement between Neomercantilism/Realism, Liberalism, and Historical Structuralism

International Political Economy: Realism, Liberalism, and Historical Structuralism
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International Political Economy: Realism, Liberalism, and Historical Structuralism
The complex and dynamic nature of international politics has prompted different political theories to establish how international relations should be organized and pursued. Examples of such theories include realism, liberalism, and structuralism. Among these, liberalism is the most prevalent in the modern world; realism goes the farthest back in history, while structuralism features less often (compared to the other two) in international relations discussions. Each of these theories provides different world views on how international relations can be understood. However, they have focal points of disagreement that form the basis for opposition or support of each other. The current paper discusses the three world views to establish the most persuasive theory.
Realism, Liberalism, and Historical Structuralism
In international politics, the realist school of thought emphasizes the conflictual and competitive side of international relations.. The theory assumes that humans are hostages of a repetitive behavior pattern determined by human nature. For instance, it assumes that humans are competitive, desire to accumulate power, and cannot trust each other, which explains the historical wars the world has faced. Based on these assumptions, realism consists of several basic tenets. Firstly, the nation-state (state) is the leading actor in international matters. Other bodies like organizations have a role whose power is limited. Secondly, the state is a unitary actor in that the interests of the state must come first. Furthermore, realism assumes that people in power are rational decision-makers. This is because the state stands to benefit more from rational decisions than those based on morality. Thus, realism seeks to separate morality from policy formulation and political decision-making. As a result, armed conflict is justified. Lastly, realism assumes that states live in the context of anarchy; because no hierarchy protects international cooperation. Essentially, realism focuses on the centralization of political power and resources and limits the role of citizens in international affairs.
On the other hand, liberalism assumes a moralistic approach to international affairs in the sense that the right of an individual, their liberty, and property is the state's most important priority.. In contrast with realism, liberals argue that the centralization of political power and resources is a threat to the wellbeing of individuals. Therefore, liberalism advocates for intuitions that check limit, and distribute political power and resources in a democratic society. Such institutions should exist on a global scale to check the powers and activities of nations. A key aspect of liberalism is democratic peace theory. The theory assumes that democratic nations are unlikely to fight each other through military confrontation. This is because institutions like the United Nations oversee interests, there is internal restrain of power that limits military action, and democratic nations recognize each other's legiti...