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Hans Morgenthau's Realism and American Foreign Policy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 September 2012

Robert J. Myers
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Abstract

As the father of the realist theory of international relations, Hans Morgenthau consistently argued that international politics is governed by the competitive and conflictual nature of humankind. Myers discusses the history of U.S. foreign policy and the ongoing debate over the continued relevance of realist thought in the post-Cold War era. He argues that despite vast changes in the international system, realism remains relevant as an accurate description of human nature and hence of the interactions among nations. Analyzing Morgenthau's Politics Among Nations, Myers provides a point-by-point discussion of his theory. He concludes by stating that the relevance of realism will be seen particularly in the search for a new balance of power in the post-Cold War world.

Type
Articles
Information
Ethics & International Affairs , Volume 11 , March 1997 , pp. 253 - 270
Copyright
Copyright © Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs 1997

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References

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