History Main / Realpolitik

* From TheOtherWiki: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realpolitik Realpolitik]] (see also Political realism) From German: real "realistic", "practical" or "actual"; and Politik "politics". Realpolitik refers to politics or diplomacy based primarily on practical considerations, rather than ideological notions or moralistic premises. In this respect, it shares aspects of its philosophical approach with those of realism and pragmatism. The term ''realpolitik'' is often used pejoratively to imply politics that are coercive, amoral or Machiavellian. The term was ''not'' coined by {{Otto von Bismarck}}, although he was one of its most famous and successful followers.

Proponents of this way of thinking would say that there are a lot of big, nasty nations out there, and that if you try being nice, your rivals will simply exploit this, so you must always further your interests where you can as no one else will. Besides, if you try to "help", you could be accused of interfering with the business of other nations to further your own influence. Critics would, of course, point out that it is this kind of thinking which perpetuates tensions and wars among nations, and that it is essentially "might makes right" as a political philosophy.

** Of course, in real life, moral considerations and what people will, and will not, go along with are real things, factors in the equation just as much as firepower and economic interests. To attempt to totally disregard such things in one's political calculation is in fact contrary to effective Realpolitick.

* President Urho Kekkonen of Finland defined Finlandization as <i>art of bowing to East without mooning to West</i>, and stated <i>Find your friends near and your enemies far</i>.

* CharlesTheGaulle summed this attitude up nicely. "France has no friends, only interest".

* This is what ''Literature/ThePrince'' is ''[[{{Flanderization}} actually]]'' about.

This line of philosophy is essentially NiceGuysFinishLast among nations, and has been around since two groups of people got together and decided that there were issues on which could only be resolved by one side not getting what they wanted. If you ask TheEmpire, "Why are you taking over our country?" they will respond, "To make sure the other empire doesn't first."

This line of philosophy is essentially NiceGuysFinishLast among nations, and has been around since two groups of people got together and decided that there were issues on which they really didn't agree too well. If you ask TheEmpire, "Why are you taking over our country?" they will respond, "To make sure the other empire doesn't first."

This line of philosophy is essentially NiceGuysFinishLast among nations, and has been around since two groups of people got together and decided that there were issues on which they [[{{Understatement}} really didn't agree too well]]. If you ask TheEmpire, "Why are you taking over our country?" they will respond, "To make sure the other empire doesn't first."

** To explain the photo: Richard Nixon made his political career being a stalwart anticommunist, yet he and Henry Kissinger (his Secretary of State) were the ones who established formal diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China - both held mutual distrust and suspicion of the Soviet Union at the time.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Nixon_Zhou_Enlai_6219.jpg
[[caption-width:300:The Communist revolutionary and [[RichardNixon the life-long Commie-hater]] toast their friendship and good will. [[EnemyMine Or at least their mutual dislike of the Soviet Union]].]]

[[caption-width:300:The Communist revolutionary and [[RichardNixon the life-long Commie-hater]] toast their friendship and good will. Or at least their mutual dislike of the Soviet Union.]]

* From TheOtherWiki: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realpolitik Realpolitik]] (see also Political realism) From German: real "realistic", "practical" or "actual"; and Politik "politics". Realpolitik refers to politics or diplomacy based primarily on practical considerations, rather than ideological notions or moralistic premises. In this respect, it shares aspects of its philosophical approach with those of realism and pragmatism. The term ''realpolitik'' is often used pejoratively to imply politics that are coercive, amoral or Machiavellian.

[[caption-width:300:The Communist revolutionary and the life-long Commie-hater toast their friendship and good will. Or at least their mutual dislike of the Soviet Union.]]

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* In ''{{Stargate Atlantis}}'' the "[[DesignatedHero heroes]]" are ''put on trial'' for [[WhatTheHellHero their previous actions]]. Shepard basically argues that they aren't fighting for right or wrong, but rather they are fighting for ''themselves''.

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Contrast HobbesWasRight.

If you ask a diplomat exactly why his country is behaving in a ruthless manner, he will usually, if you can blast your way through all the skillful deflections and rhetoric, respond with this argument.

"We're just protecting our interests. It is what every other nation is doing, and what every nation ''should'' be doing."

This line of philosophy is essentially "NiceGuysFinishLast" among nations, and has been around since two groups of people got together and decided that there were issues on which they [[{{Understatement}} really didn't agree too well]]. If you ask TheEmpire, "Why are you taking over our country?" they will respond, "To make sure the other empire doesn't first."

* In a sci-fi story whose title eludes me: Humankind go around wiping out whole alien races on the off chances that they may do the same thing. [[RobertAHeinlein The author]] saw nothing wrong with this.
** In another RobertAHeinlein novel, ''[=~Have Space Suit - Will Travel~=]'', the Three Galaxies organization of many alien races puts HumanityOnTrial. Our hero Kip says this is unjust. The alien moderator responds that the Three Galaxies don't bother trying to understand "justice" but are a defense organization that destroys any race that will be a threat.

If you ask a diplomat exactly why his country is behaving in a ruthless manner, he will usually, if you can blast your way through all the skilful deflections and rhetoric, respond with this argument.

*In a sci-fi story whose title eludes me: Humankind go around wiping out whole alien races on the off chances that they may do the same thing. [[RobertAHeinlein The author]] saw nothing wrong with this.