The Evolution of Offensive Realsim

by Dominic D. P. Johnson, D.Phil., Ph.D.and Bradley A. Thayer, Ph.D.

A Term Taper
Presented to
The Faculty of
School of Humanities
Saint Louis Univercity, Baguio City

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements in the degree

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

By

Alan Kirsten O.Callejo

July 2016
 INTRODUCTION

The core idea of offensive realism is that a state most reliably ensures its security by
maximizing its power (Jhonson and Thayer, 2016). Offensive realism is an international
relations theory that enunciates states or countries are poised to engage in conflict due to their
self-interest, desire of maximizing their power, and the fear of other countries or states. It
suggests that countries or states are compelled to behave this way because it favors survival in
the international system that we currently have. There is no ultimate arbiter or leviathan in the
system that states can turn to if they get into trouble and need help. This is called an anarchic
system, as opposed to a hierarchic one (Mearsheimer, 2001). This shows that in international
politics states or countries are prominent figures and there is no higher authority stands above
them.

Jhonson and Thayer asked the three assumptions about the behavior in offensive realismself-
help, power maximization, and outgroup fear have any scientific knowledge about human
behavioral evolution. States or countries behave as offensive realist not just because of the
anarchy in the modern international system but also as a legacy of our human evolution
(Jhonson and Thayer, 2016). In simple terms, offensive realism may really be describing the
nature of human species more than the modern international system. If the statement is proven to
be true then the journal may offer an explanation for why individual leaders themselves, and not
just states seek for power. However the journal does not condemn individuals or groups to
competition and conflict, but to give rise to cooperate with themselves and forge alliances.

Presentation of the Topic

A ten year conflict in the Kibale Mountains of Uganda has just come to an end. A larger more
powerful group from Ngogo launced an aggressive and lethal campaign against its neighbors,
this might be a similar story from any number of bloody human conflicts around the world. But,
the Ngogo group and its neighbors are chimpanzees. Far from the assumption that chimpanzees
are our peaceful cousins. Violence between groups of chimpanzees is like a shoot on sight
policy (Wrangham, 1996). The motivation for such action does not involve conscious planning
to obtain larger territories or more offsprings but chimpanzees appear to have evolved an innate
aggression towards other groups. This incident shows that the behavior of the chimpanzees is
remarkably like the behavior of the states or countries embedded in the theory of offensive
realism.

Without any arbiter or leviathan to administer life and death struggles between rival groups or
states is a situation well recognized in the study of international relationships. The international
system is a self help system, where countries or states must provide their own protection
through weapons and alliances. There is no ultimate authority in international politics,
compared to a domestic government that can make decisions over disputes and can provide
protection for its citizens (Waltz, 1979). The system of the international system is like this due
to the anarchical nature of it. The anarchical system is responsible for trouble, suspicion, fear,
security competition, and conflicts in the international politics. Due to the heritage of our
evolutionary past, the anarchic system is not subjugated to obtain offensive realist behavior, only
humans are. Anarchy is the absence of government in international politics. Ironically it is the
ordering principle of the global system and the birthplace for the most major theories of
international politics, such as neorealism, constructivism, and neoliberalism. The concept of
anarchy is so deep that it defines and divides the discipline of political science approach to
international politics.

Offensive realism is formed due three things first is egoism (self-help), it captures why we want
resources and resist loss; second is dominance (power maximization) , it expounds on why we
want power to control resources for ourselves and our relatives and why we seek to protect them
from others; and the third is ingroup/outgroup bias (fear of others), it explains why we perceive
other groups as threats and rivals. The foundation of offensive realism itself is based on human
behaviors formed in our evolution through the years and years of constant struggle in this world
to survive.

Analysis

A. Applicability
Offensive realism is a theory that helps us to understand biases in the international
system due to our humanity. We know that countries or states are behaving such
way due to their egoistic traits of leaders of different countries who wants to gain
resources and power by maximizing its security force. By understanding these traits,
we can tap in to that and form alliances and different treaties to benefit all who are
involved.

B. Commentary

The environment of the world is in chaos because of the finite amount of

resources; countries compete and engage in war to obtain resources and the
ubiquity of threats and dangers. One can survive in anarchical system by power
maximization through forging alliances that will benefit the involved parties, thus
avoiding conflicts and biases, hegemony should also be abandoned due to its
selfish core. Take for example the issue of China and Philippines, if the two will
engage war it will spark a chain reaction and might cause the third world war.
However, we can avoid this by understanding why China behaves this way and
start diplomatic talks with them.
References:

Jhonson and Thayer (2016). The Evolution of Realism

Kenneth Waltz (1979). Theory of International Politics

John Mearsheimer (2001). The Tradegy of Great Power Politics

Richard Wrangham, (1996). Demonic Males

Glenn H.(2011). Mearsheimers World Offensive Realism and the Struggle for
Security

http://genius.com/John-mearsheimer-offensive-realism-in-brief-annotated#link-
4307100