Realism divided in to many difference type: Classical realism was supported by three realist which were Thucydides, the ancient Greek historian, Niccole Machiavelli, the Renaissance Italian political theories, Thomas Hobbes 17th English political and legal philosopher. Neoclassical Realism: Morgenthau (19985: 4-17). Strategic Realism: was examine by Thomas Schelling (1980-1996) which focus on centrality on foreign policy decision making. Neorealism: associated with Kenneth Waltz (1979) a basic feature of international relation is the decentralized structure of anarchy between state (Jackson and Sorensen, 2007).
Based on these theories and perspective of this realist, this paper will examine the cause of Second World War. Before explain the concept and the realist perspective, this paper will show the basic idea and assumption of realism. As shown in Jackson and Sorensen (2007), the first assumption is Human nature is bad so people like to make war each other. They think that anyone who win the powerful one and can control other people. As in Second World War Leader of Germany, Italy and Japan want show their power and control the world, they sign a treaty and declare the war with allies The second assumption is International relations is more about conflict than cooperation and war is necessary in resolving conflicts, meaning that the relation among nation and nation or state and state usually cause conflict because those nation or state focus on the national interest. The solution of the conflict is going to war. Another assumption of Realism is National security and state survival are first, meaning that every countries focus on their national security first that why after losing world war one, Germany was under control other countries. Those countries sign the Treaty of Versailles which put the pressure to Germany not using troops and not let German go to war anymore. However, after Hitler become the Germany leader in 1933, he leave the Treaty of Versailles and promise to make his countries great again and quickly began to arm Germany again to size land from other countries. Here, showing that Hitler is a leader so he must focus on his national securities. If his countries still under The Treaty of Versailles, then Germany would under other countries. So this is the reason lead to The Second World War.
Realists see power as using force in all political life. Their concept is focus on the group rather than on the individual. This show that they only focus on group more than state. However, focusing on group is easy to break up as in history after the World War I, A lot of countries create League of Nation to prevent war. The League could not settle the little disputes that greatly lead to the fighting. The reason the League failed was because not all of the countries joined it, and it had no army so it couldn’t really enforce any of the rules that it laid down. For example the League couldn’t stop the Japanese invasion into China and it resulted in people being upset and wanting to fight. This is another reason cause the Second World War. (Jolly 2010).
Looking to Classical realists which supported by Thucydides, stated that:
“The standard of justice depends on the quality of power to compel and that in fact the strong do what they have the power to do and the weak accept what they have to accept… this is the safe rule- to stand up to one’s equal’s, to behave with deference to one superiors, and to treat one’s inferiors with moderation. Think it over again, then, when we have withdrawn from the meeting and let be a point that constantly recurs to your minds- that you are discussing the fate of your country, that you have only one county, and that is future for good or ill depend on this one single decision which you are going to make. (Jackson and Sorensen, 2007)”
This show that the Second World War happen because German which leaded by Hitler didn’t obey the standard of justice. As showing above, the equality of power to compel and that in fact the strong do what they have the power to do and the weak accept, German want to control the world. The weak state around Germany were accept the power what they have but Germany that that only one country could control the world so the war was break out. This is only one decision of Germany’s leader. As in Jolly (2010) Germany’s invasion of Poland is what really starts the war. This is what shows that Germany is serious and it really becomes apparent to everyone in the world that Germany is trying to do a lot more. They are trying to start a war and take over all of the lands around them. They aren’t doing these things because they feel threatened or attacked. But instead they are being the aggressions and trying to inflict pain and damage on defenseless nations. Germany invades Poland on September 1, 1939 and this officially starts the war.
Machiavelli believes that state leaders focus on advantages and prevent state interest for their countries. In doing that, state leaders need to use two important means in conducting foreign policy which are power and deception. Leaders need power because when they are strong, they are able to defend their countries and to pursue their national interest. Using deception in foreign policy also helps leaders not to miss the opportunity to gain advantages for their countries. (Ukessay.com)
As in the historical of Second World War Jolly (2010) stated that: Germany focus its interest and advantages to the other European countries. Germany started to put troops in the Rhineland which was against the treaty. But instead of stopping Hitler there, all the countries just asked him to stop. By doing this they allowed him to little by little grow into the dictator he was and it is a direct cause of the war. So it is clear that the leader (Hitler) doing that to show his power, he can control land around.
The seventeen-century English political and legal philosopher Thomas Hobbes believe that:
“Before the creation of sovereign state, people lived in danger because they always have conflicts or wars with each other. Therefore, in order to live in secure and peace, they collaborated with each other to create sovereign state. However, the creation of sovereign state poses other serious political problem which is security of dilemma because no one can control sovereign states.” (Ukessay.com)
This idea we can refer to the Second World War that before one state become independent and have their own sovereignty, they have to across a lot of difficulty; especially, have conflict or war with other countries. After World War One, German was under control other countries and German is the weak state. German really wanted to have their own sovereignty, not under control from other countries. So this is the reason that German develop themselves for war.
Morgenthau is the father of Neo classical realism. He is pessimistic about natural politic of human being. People are born to pursue power and to enjoy the fruit of power so that they can survive or prosper. The desire of gaining power makes them have conflicts or wars with each other. As a result, there will be international anarchy and conflicts in system of states. Moreover, Morgenthau has similar idea about morality in conduction foreign policy with Thucydides and Machiavelli. As a responsible leader for a state, he or she needs to perform or engage in foreign policy or politics that he or she would be wrong according to private morality.
Another realist is Thomas Schelling (1980-1996) which focus on centrality on foreign policy decision making. The centrality on foreign policy could led to war when one countries or state didn’t get what they want. As in history after World War One the Allies - including France, Britain, the U.S., and Italy created a contract called the Treaty of Versailles that outlined the Central Powers' punishments for starting the war. The harshest penalties were for Germany (the most powerful country of the Central Powers), including paying 6,600 million British pounds, giving up some of its land for several years, agreeing to never merge with Austria, and limiting its military tremendously. The German people disliked these new rules, but as the losers of the war, they could not protest.
In 1979, Kenneth K. Waltz developed the concept if states see war as a necessary step to further their power or interests, they will use it as a rational political tool. He sets out three interrelated images of the causes of war. Firstly, in classical realist line, war has its roots in flawed human nature. This view suggests that “the evilness of men, or their improper behavior, leads to war”. For the second image, Waltz suggests that the internal organization of the state unit is crucial in understanding its propensity towards war. This image has two tenets in that in order to ensure survival from internal strife or civil war, states must promote a homogenous unified entity. The state seeks war against others to prevent internal self-destruction. Finally, Waltz’s third image emphasizes international anarchy and suggests that as states have interests that clash with the interests of others (Waltz, 2001). He want to show that war were caused by human being. Human being always want power, always think itself as powerful one. To be powerful one, that one have so show its power by war. Others one, he show that the internal organization is can cause to war, as seeing in League of Nation. Only failure of this organization the 2nd Word War stated. The last one he want to state that, the national interest which focus on other interest lead to war. They have the same interest, so they have to fight each other.
Waltz argued that to understand the causes of war, we need to look at the three levels: individual, government or the state, and the international system. This paper can draw to the 2nd world War; in individual level, Hitler is only one person that lead Germany go to war with other countries. It is depended on the decision of individual. In government or state level, the member in government and agree each other to war. The last one is international system, we can see that German, Italy and Japan were only countries caused 2nd World War after they left the league of Nation.
In conclusion, there are a lot of realist who come up with his own idea and concept to show, the realism caused the Second World War. In this research, this paper find out some importance the cause to war. The basic assumption of realism really caused to war. The human being, state interest and national security, and the solution of conflict which is war, are the main reason causing war. Classical realism (Thucydides, Machiavelli and Hobbes), Neoclassical Realism (Morgenthau), Strategic Realism (Schelling) and Neorealism (Waltz) provide their own idea and concept to show the cause of World War II. So this research is a very importance one because this topic consist of a lot of theory and realist ideas. Before the researcher examine this topic clearly, he or she have to read and try to understand the realist ideas one by one. Moreover, this topic relate to 2nd World War, so research this topic, researcher can understand two importance points which are Realism and Second World War. This is the very interesting research, and we hope that it is very useful one for learner, and also we hope that we will try to research more.
References
An Overview of the Realism Theory Politics Essay (n.d.). Retrieved form http://www.ukessays.com/essays/politics/an-overview-of-the-realism-theory-politics-essay.php
Jackson, R. & Sorensen, G. (2007). Introduction to International Relation: Theories and approaches (3rd). New York: Oxford University.
Jolly,J. (2010). Top 5 Causes of World War 2. Retrieved from http://jeffsjollygoodblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/top-5-causes-of-world-war-2.html
Mearsheimer, J, J, (2006). Structural Realism. Retrieved from http://mearsheimer.uchicago.edu/pdfs/StructuralRealism.pdf
Waltz, K.N. (2001). Man, the State and War, a theoretical analysis. New York, Columbia University Press.t
No comments:
Post a Comment