Compare and Contrast Liberalism and Realism as theories (original) (raw)

REALISM VERSUS LIBERALISM ASPECTS OF SIMILARITY AND DIFFERENCE

Malmo, 2017

The debate between Realism and Liberalism as the most important theories in international relations is continuing, despite the influence of each other in their evolution to new forms, neo-realism and neo-liberalism. They both have similarities, in the core, considering that both found the international system as anarchy. The state as an essential actor in international politics. Also, they are similar in their vision of human rationality, but they differ in their perception of the nature of human existence, and the role of ethics in politics, as well as in how the state protects its sovereignty, preserving its national security. While realism sees the solution is in the military power of the state, liberalism sees international cooperation, economic exchange and the spread of democracy as a means of preserving national security and achieving prosperity.

Realism, Liberalism and the History of Liberal Thought

This article is an attempt to show that a more extensive consideration of figures in the history of liberal thought has much to contribute to the contemporary debate between realists and liberals. The focus here is on aspects of the thought of John Locke and particularly his explanation for ‘error’. Whatever the validity of the realist critique of contemporary liberal theory, many elements of this critique do not apply to Locke (and very possibly other figures in the liberal canon too). Retrieving this helps us to see that historically liberalism was an intensely political ideology. The appeal by contemporary liberal theorists to historical figures in the liberal canon tends to ignore that fact that they were also concerned with the how the particular institutions and practices they advocated were to be made real in the world.

Liberalism, Realism and Marxism

Economic policy has been driven by each of three ideologies for the past century to varying extents and with varying results up until the modern day where the three once separate ideologies have more or less converged to form the basis of economic policy for most of the developed world.

The Political Theory of Liberalism and Liberalisms

The philosophical foundations of liberalism laid during the Enlightenment period have come under attack increasingly in the twentieth century. Liberalism in a defensive mode has come up with different strategies of justification leading to a variety of liberalisms.

Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism and Maslow

Realism, Liberalism and constructivism are often presented as mutually exclusive, competing paradigms. However, looking at them through the filter of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs shows them instead to be synergistic, complementary paradigms.