Idealist drew
their inspiration from liberal school of thought. They are sometimes referred
to as liberal idealists. After World War 1, they became known simple as
‘idealists”. Idealism assumes that
people were by nature not sinful or wicked, but that harmful behaviour was the
result of structural arrangement motivating individual to act.10
The basic
assumption of realism after the world war includes: `
a.
War is an international problem requiring collective or
multi-lateral rather than national efforts to contain.
b.
War is not inevitable and its frequency can be
reduced by eradicating the
institutional arrangement that encourage it.
c.
Violence is the
result of evil institutions which make people to act in selfish manner
d.
Human nature is essentially “good” or altruistic.
e.
International society must strive to eliminate
institution that promotes war.
f.
States must reform political/democratic
institution/framework to smoothen relations among states.
It must be
emphasized, however, that in as much as all idealists share a naturalistic
optimism and universalistic image of international society, not all idealist
believe fully in each of the above assumptions.
Idealist
attitude towards international society differ significantly and these
differences can be seen in three different strands. First, they subscribe to
creating international institution to defend the weaker ones. Idealists sought
to create a new world order based on collective security. This is aimed at
collective attack on the aggressor.
The second
group places emphasis on legal framework like mediation, arbitration and
conciliation of settle disputes. In addition, the legal process stipulates
measures to prevent war. This category of idealists worked towards the creation
of permanent court of international justice in 1921 to adjudicate on international
conflicts. In the same vein, the Brain Kellog Pact of 1928 outlawed war as an
instrument of foreign policy.
The third group
believes in development of the state with funds which would have been channeled
into war. (Swords into plowshare). They
worked towards securing disarmament and arms control agreements. In the main,
idealists encourage global cooperation though international law, institution
and disarmament. Thus, they seek more peaceful world. Idealists believe that
president Woodrow Wilson’s call for democratic institution will make the world
safe for democracy. Wilson’s 14-point speech delivered in 1981 proposed the
creation of League of Nations. This speech better than any other expressed the
basic assumption of idealist world view. They believe passionately in the capacity of mankind to overcome the
scourge of war.
Summary of the 14-Point
a.
Open covenant of
peace, openly arrived at, international
diplomacy to be carried on
publicly,
b.
Disarmament undertaken and guaranteed by the lowest point
consistent with domestic safety.
c.
Absolute freedom
of navigation on the seas
d.
The removal, as far as possible, of all economic
barriers.
e.
A free, open-minded and impartial adjustment of all
colonial claims, based on the principle that the interest of the population
concerned must have equal weight with the equitable claims of the government
whose title is to be determined.
f.
The evacuation f
all Russian territory and
settlement of questions affecting
Russia.11
Idealism
Idealism was
greatly challenged by circumstances which ultimately led to the outbreak of
World War II. Critics argue that the war
came as a result of idealists’ native legalistic and moralistic assumptions
about the possibility of peace and
progress through human aspiration. The critics drew lessons from the inter war years. These experiences formed new set of beliefs
and perceptions about world
politics. In the ensuring confrontations, realism or real politic
emerged.
Realism
is a political theory which traces its
intellectual roots in Thueydides, a Greek
historian, Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher, and Niccoli Machiavelli, an
Italian theorist.12 Realism maintains that the state is
the most important actor on the world
stage since it is subject to no higher
authority. It equally believes that the purpose of statecraft is national survival in a hostile environment. The states, therefore, seek to acquire power and
states sovereignty which is the
bedrock of international law,
gives heads of state the freedom
and responsibility to advance states interest
and survival. There is no
moral/ethical consideration of issues because they are simply wasteful and dangerous.