The (classical) Realist vision of global reform

Abstract

Most Realists today oppose far-reaching global reform on the grounds that it represents unrealistic and potentially irresponsible ‘utopianism’. An earlier generation of mid-century Realists, however, not only supported serious efforts at radical international reform but also developed a theoretically impressive model for how to bring it about. They considered the possibility of post-national political orders and ultimately a world state as desirable long-term goals, but only if reformers could simultaneously generate the thick societal background (or what they called ‘supranational society’) required by any viable order ‘beyond the nation state’. As they fail to engage constructively with proposals for global reform, present-day Realists betray their own intellectual tradition. By reconsidering the subterranean legacy of Realist reformism as advanced by mid-century international thinkers (e.g. E.H. Carr, John Herz, Hans Morgenthau, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Frederick Schuman), the essay provides a revisionist reading of the history of twentieth-century international theory, while also highlighting its significance for ongoing debates about global reform.

Debating global justice with Carr: The crisis of laissez faire and the legitimacy problem in the twenty-first century

“…Carr’s ‘moral purpose’ translated in practice into a quest for post-national planning: ‘multinational social and economic units’ as Scheuerman (2011) argues, ‘to generate social and economic equality within as well as between and among national units’ (2011: 76–77 emphasis in original). Furthermore, Carr endorsed Mitrany’s functionalism to check the latter’s ‘potentially dangerous centralising tendencies’ (Scheuerman, 2010: 261). 6 Despite this endorsement however Carr also, as Kenealy and Kostagiannis (2013) argue, rejected Mitrany’s depoliticised functionalism that ‘saw the possibility of separating the political, economic and social spheres’ (2013: 238–239 note 84).…”

“…6 Despite this endorsement however Carr also, as Kenealy and Kostagiannis (2013) argue, rejected Mitrany’s depoliticised functionalism that ‘saw the possibility of separating the political, economic and social spheres’ (2013: 238–239 note 84). Carr thus tied functionalism to ‘a collectivist vision in which functional organisations operated alongside traditional socialist-style state economic planning in building the foundations of post-national order’ (Scheuerman, 2010: 264). This distinction between Carr and Mitrany is important because it highlights a counter-hegemonic critique built in Carr’s realism that may, for example, form the basis for a critique of the political economy of the European Union (EU), particularly in times when the latter fails to provide a substitute for the social function of nationalism: redistribution, economic justice and social solidarity.…”

Redesigning human nature: Moral bioenhancement and the quest for the resolution of political conflicts

“…O tipo de posição que, em teorias das relações internacionais, procura explicar a emergência de uer as e conflitos políticos com base em uma teoria sobre a natureza egoísta de seres humanos costuma ser denominado "realismo de natureza humana" . A literatura sobre o realismo de natureza humana é bastante extensa, mas não é minha intenção discutir aqui esses textos (Jütersonke, 2012;Scheuerman, 2012Scheuerman, , 2010Scheuerman, , 2007Behr, 2010, p. 210-225;Brown, 2011;Kaufman, 2006;Craig, 2007;Schuett, 2010Schuett, , 2007Mo loy, 2006, p. 82-85;Freyberg-Inan, 2003;Booth, 1991;Speer, 1968). Minha intenção é, antes, salientar o quanto al uns teóricos do bioaprimoramento moral, em suas re ectivas descrições dos cenários perturbadores que a humanidade pode vir a enfrentar no futuro, endossam implicitamente esse tipo de posição.…”

“…Para uma discussão sobre a ideia de um "Estado mundial", proposto pelos primeiros realistas do século XX, verScheuerman (2012Scheuerman ( , 2010Scheuerman ( , 2007;Booth (2008Booth ( , 1991.…”

Chasing Morgenthau, or: What Is Political Realism?

“…Likewise, surging interest in pre‐Waltzian realism has debunked many realpolitik myths associated with this venerable political philosophy. So‐called “classical” realism’s renaissance is remarkable, particularly as to its most consequential proponent, Hans Morgenthau (for example, Lebow 2003; Williams 2005, 2007; Molloy 2006; Scheuerman 2009, 2010; Schuett 2010, 2011).…”