GOVT1621 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Friedrich Meinecke, Statism, Nationstates
6 May 2020
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Document Summary
Idealists: cause of war to find remedy for its existence. Realists: argued that the inter-war scholars" approach was flawed. Overestimated the degree to which nation-states shared common interests. Overly optimistic that humankind could overcome the scourge of war. Confirmed the inadequacies of the idealists" approach. Realists emphasized the ubiquity of power and competitive nature of politics among nations. Focus on interests rather than on ideology. Recognize that great powers can coexist even if they have antithetical values and beliefs. Offers a manual" for maximizing the interests of the state in a hostile environment. Leaders should conduct themselves in the realm of international politics. It tells the statesman what he must do to preserve the heal and strength of the. The existence of the state creates the possibility for an ethical political community to exist domestically. Assumption that the state is the principal actor. View that the environment that states inhabit is a perilous place.
