TheSignificanceofIRTheories Internationalrelationstheorieswerecreatedinattempttocreateaframeworkuponwhich theinternationalsystemcanbeunderstoodandanalyzed.Theconceptswereformedtoobserve howpoliticalpowerspracticed.Thetheoriesareasetofideasthatcanexplainhoweachisused inasituation.Inmostcases,theyassumethatgovernmentsactinaccordancetoaspecific interestinmind.Differenttheorieshavebeenobservedinworldpoliticsthroughthe20thand 21stcentury,buthavebeenpracticedsincethebeginningofinternationalinteraction.The significanceofthetheoriesininternationalrelationscanbeunderstoodthroughexamplesof theories,andhowtheycanhelptocomprehendworldpolitics,andcreateprogress. Internationalrelationstheoriesweredesignedtodescribehowsystemsworked,and throughouthistory,morehavebeenformedtoexplainconcepts.Theyareusedtoinaway, categorizeplayersintheinternationalsystemtobeabletoknowhowtheymayactincertain situations. RealismwasfirstformedafterWorldWarOne,itclaimsstatesaremotivatedtogain power.

Accordingtorealism,statesaremotivatedthroughselfpreservation,andfeelneedto protectthemselves.Thisgoalisdriventhroughpowergain,andmilitaryisconsideredthemost reliablewaytohaveapowerfulstate.Throughpowergain,statesmaygaininternationalalliesto increaseauthorityinternationally.Thecoldwarisanexampletohowleaderscanberealists. BoththeSovietUnionandtheUnitedstatesbothwantedtoprotectthemselves,sotheypursued alliesabroad,bymeansofmilitaryintimidation. Liberalismwasdevelopedasaconcept,inaway,tocounterrealism.Manythought realismwasoutdatedasatheorybythe1970s,andthatmoststatesdonotpracticeitanymore. Liberalismisbasedontheideathateconomicsandsocialpowerinmostcases,outwaymilitary power.Liberalismassumesthatindividualsandprivategroupshavemoreinfluenceratherthan

thestates.Governmentsareaconfigurationofmanygroupsideasthatareprojectedintothe state.Internationalcooperationisveryimportantinachievinginterestsofthestate.Liberalism hasbeenobservedinthecurrentUnitedStates,byitgainingpoweroveritsalliesthrough economicincentives. Idealismisaspecifictypeofthinking,wherestatesaremoreinterestinginachieving moralgoalsthanusingviolenceandtrickery.Thisisinwaysrepresentedbythedemocratic partyoftheUnitedStatessinceWorldWarone.Idealismactstopursuethewantsandneedsof thepeople,ratherthanthatoftheleaders. Eachofthesewidelyusedtheorieshavebeendevelopedtobeatoolofunderstanding whycountriesactthewaytheydo.Worldpoliticsisacollectionofahugenumberofgroups workingtogethertoachievepersonalgoals,andthesetheorieshelpexplainhoweachofthem practice.Throughcomprehendingstates,peoplecanthereforecreatepositivechangeby knowingwhatastatemaydounderacertainsituation.Knowingthesetheoriescanassistonein havingadeepergrasponworldpolitics.