And God said, “Let there be mankind and they may make war of unforeseen magnitude…” These may not be the ideal words of a God that the majority of the human race believes in, but it certainly reflects the words of the God of history. Man has been violent and bloody since the beginning of His existence, and this violence has extended into modern history, culminating at the bloodiest engagement in human history, the Second World War. In response the unpredictability and high frequency of human on human violence, only enabled by the rise nation-state, three main theories of international relations have arisen: realism, liberalism, and constructivism. These three theories form an overarching understanding of world politics and provide a foundation for analysis of international issues.
The European Union’s wide range of problems is a perfect example of the spectrum of international issues: Turkish/Algerian immigration into Europe, terror threats, descent of Euro value; Spanish, Portuguese, Irish, and Greek bankruptcy. Different factions of the EU legislative body hold differing viewpoints in how to resolve these issues, holding true to the triad of conceptual understanding (realist, liberal, and constructivist). Each facet presents their “rationale” in the perception of the issue, attempting to out reason each of the others.
In the end, though, every intellectual is attempting to merely employ their own perspective and rational understanding of the world around them. Whether realist, liberal, or constructivist, all intellectuals are pursuing the same end, a better understanding of the happenings of reality. In an ideal world, a better understanding of international relations will cater to stability, security, and prosperity. Although, as history has shown, there is no foreseeable end to violence among nations and large social groups, it is simply a natural impulse that cannot be stifled by mere paper-pushing intellect.
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