Political realism
A tradition that studies power as it actually works rather than as it should be, setting politics apart from idealized morality.
Do you think in the way of Political realism? Answer 44 to 132 statements and see your affinity with every school and every thinker.
What it is
Political realism asks how power is really won and kept. Instead of describing ideal governments, it looks at people as they are: driven by interest, ambition and fear. From this it concludes that those who govern must sometimes act in prudent and calculated ways, weighing consequences more than good intentions. For this tradition, ignoring the reality of power usually leads to failure.
It has ancient roots, such as the Greek historian Thucydides, but took modern shape in Renaissance Italy with Machiavelli, who in The Prince described the techniques of rule without euphemism. In the seventeenth century the Spanish Jesuit Baltasar Gracián brought this outlook to court life and personal relations, with advice on prudence and discretion. The tradition later influenced the theory of international relations and remains present in discussions of ethics and power.
Core ideas
- Politics must be seen as it is, not as it ought to be
- Results matter more than good intentions
- Prudence and calculation are virtues for those who hold power
Where to start reading
Each thinker's starter book, picked for beginners.
The thinkers
Where Political realism stands on the 11 themes
Average position of the school's thinkers. Each theme runs from the first pole (−1) to the second (+1).
Neighboring schools
- UtilitarianismAn ethical theory holding that the right action is the one that produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number.
- Socialism and MarxismA tradition that criticizes capitalism and defends collective ownership of the means of production to overcome exploitation and classes.
- Mind and human natureThinkers who ask what the mind is and what is distinctive about human nature, from the body to inner life.