Not Indexed This is the third essay in my brief analysis of the three major political ideologies and their reaction to the ongoing processes of globalisation. Realism can be seen as the conservative ideology, whereby the nation-state is primary and therefore still central to any developments in international relations. Realism asserts the primacy of the state in global relations, and although Realism recognises the existence of other actors in the global system, such as international organisations, multinational corporations and individuals, it argues that states are the dominant actors. This is because Realists believe that sovereignty is of great importance and that it represents the ultimate legal authority over a given territory. With no overarching authority in the global system, a situation of anarchy or lawlessness exists in which states become perpetually involved in the struggle for power which is managed through diplomacy and negotiation.
Realism places great stress upon the significance of military power in shaping the world.
Since there is no overarching authority in the global system, states are reliant upon their own resources to ensure their security and survival. In the end military power becomes the essential ingredient of state power, since without it states cannot defend their own core interests. In terms of the dominant processes of globalisation, Realists stress the significance of the competition and struggle for power between all states as being a crucial factor in creating a more interdependent world. For instance, both superpowers policed their own sphere of influence and controlled their subordinate s actions where these threatened to undermine global peace and security. And, after the second world war, the USA, as the world s hegemonic economic and military power, established a basic framework of international economic order which has to this day shaped the conduct of global economic relations.