The power approach
in the study of international politics
evolved from the weakness of the
utopian idealist school of the pre-World War II era that emphasized the legalistic and
institutional approach . The
idealist believed that the international
court and the league of nations would
prevent a war situation. However,
the close of World War II the futility of this approach became evident , with
the realist school were Hans Morgenthau C.H Car, R
Niebhur, George Cannan and Henry Kissinger. Their thesis was that the
pursuit of national power is a natural development in the international
system. That those states which do not
strive for power encourage war, for if
all state strive for power
concurrently peace will evolve because the struggle
itself creates balance of power and eliminates hegemony. In his lucid analysis . Hans Morgenthau in
his book, “politics among nations” argued that national interest should
best be defined in terms of power
pursuit. In fact, post World War II is power politics and is endless.
Martin Wright
noted that in modern interaction political the ideas of power predominates over
the idea of right. George Schwazenbenger also, analyzed power as a prime
factor in international politics. By definition, power is the ability
as an actor in the international scene
to use tangible and intangible resources and assets in such a way as to influence the out come of international
events to its own satisfaction. Power is a means to an end and it may at times
become an end in itself. The possession of power is meaningless if its
possession influence attitude, roles and policies.
The analyses
ranges from the country’s strategic location through economic, diplomatic,
national orientation and military capabilities. Thus, the united states bombing
of Hiroshima and Nagaski (Japan),
Tripoli and Benghazi (Libya) carting of
Noriega, a sovereign leader from panama, invading of Grenada getting the UN security council to pass resolutions in quick
succession against Iraq in Kwait, operation “desert shield” and “desert
storm”, Saddam Husseins
illegal occupation of Kwait , Nigerians ECOMOG
politics in Liberia, soviet union in Afghanistan etc, could be explained
within the power frame work. The problem with this approach is that it
considers other issues like morality and legalism irrelevant. It also looks so
radical, as it tends to argue that power is the only way a state can achieve
its national interest without have
accidents.