I posted ths in the comment sectin of Roy's post but I wanted everyone to see it. I think it is a good question that I did not cover in lecture but is pretty interesting in light of the posts on this blog.
I think that a question that I could pose to you and the rest of this blog is this:
Does the loss of morality that Morgenthau claims happened inthe 20th century mean that the international is not a moral realm or does it mean that people are no longer acting morally. There is a key difference there.
I think the loss of morality that Morgenthau claims happened meant that the international is not a moral realm. Power and self-interest have always played major roles in international politics, and societal norms and ethics matter very little in regards to states’ dealings with one another and the national interest. Furthermore, as Machiavelli said leaders who take on overly moral positions tend to lose their powers, therefore, there is no role for morality to play in the international, if one hopes to maintain power. I believe that there are plenty of instances where morality has come become an issue in regards to the international, such as the Syrian uprising and the war in Darfur. With the constant question of the need to intervene on behalf of the people suffering, it would be incorrect to say that people are no longer acting morally. Rather it is due to the nature and dynamic of international politics and the fact that self-interest outweighs any sense of moral responsibility by leaders.
ReplyDeleteI am inclined to agree with Elizabeth i believe that Morgenthau meant that there is no morality in the International realm. On the international level each and every countries representative is thinking about solely what is best for their country and more specifically their people. When Hitler was in power Britain and France chose not to act when Hitler took Austria and part of Czechoslovakia; it was when Hitler decided to take Poland that Britain and France decided to act because they realized that their country may be in danger.
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