Hans Morgenthau
By: __________________
Background
Born on February 17, 1904 - July 19, 1980
Born in Germany
Became a professor at the university of
Chicago
Wrote a book Politics Among Nations,
which defined the field of international
relations theory in 1948 as it heralded
the post-World War 2 paradigm shift in
American thinking about diplomacy
Political Realism

Some claim that Morgenthau is the founder of international
relations as an independent discipline. Before him, it was studied
under history, political thought or international law
In the context of international relations, encompasses a
variety of theories and approaches, all of which share a belief
that states are primarily motivated by the desire for military
and economic power or security, rather than ideals or ethics
Principles of Political Realism

1.
Political realism believes that politics, like
society in general, is governed by objective laws
that have their roots in human nature. In order to
improve society it is first necessary to understand
the laws by which society lives. The operation of
these laws being impervious to our preferences,
men will challenge them only at the risk of failure
2. The main signpost that helps political realism to
find its way through the landscape of international
politics is the concept of interest defined in terms of
power. This concept provides the link between reason
trying to understand international politics and the facts
to be understood.
3. Realism assumes that its key concept of interest
defined as power is an objective category which is
universally valid, but it does not endow that concept
with a meaning that is fixed once and for all. The idea
of interest is indeed of the essence of politics and is
unaffected by the circumstances of time and place.
4. Political realism is aware of the moral significance
of political action. It is also aware of the ineluctable
tension between the moral command and the
requirements of successful political action.
5. Political realism refuses to identify the moral
aspirations of a particular nation with the moral laws
that govern the universe. As it distinguishes between
truth and opinion, so it distinguishes between truth
and idolatry. All nations are tempted-and few have
been able to resist the temptation for long-to clothe
their own particular aspirations and actions in the
moral purposes of the universe.
6. The difference, then, between
political realism and other schools of
thought is real, and it is profound.
However much the theory of political
realism may have been misunderstood
and misinterpreted, there is no
gainsaying its distinctive intellectual
and moral attitude to matters political.
Key Parts
Know that Morgenthau lived in the 20th century and through
the wars
 Wrote a book that explained a new concept at the time
“Political Realism”
 Know roughly the 6 principles of Political Realism
 Know how Political Realism impacted our politics today
(realism, self interest, power)

Bibliography

Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for
Power and Peace (1948) New York NY:
Alfred A. Knopf.
• Scientific Man Versus Power Politics (1946)
Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.