International Relations · Theories of IR. The idea in plain words, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid and a worked example, written and checked by Mega Lecture.
Realism sees world politics as a struggle for power among states. States are the main actors, they act rationally, and their first aim is survival. Realists doubt that law, morality or institutions can restrain them for long.
The setting is anarchy: there is no authority above states. Anarchy does not mean chaos. It means each state must look after itself, which is called self-help.
Realists disagree on the cause of power-seeking. Classical realists find it in human nature. Neorealists find it in the structure of the system. They also disagree on how much power states want: enough to be secure (Waltz) or as much as possible (Mearsheimer). When one state grows too strong, the others tend to form a balance of power against it.
Students read 'anarchy' as disorder or constant war. In IR it only means that no central authority stands above states; order can still exist under anarchy.
Answer: Internal balancing.
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