According to Erich Kauffman “the essence of state was Machtentfaltung development, increase and display of power”
Similar sentiments have been echoed by a number of scholars. However, Hans Morgenthau was the first to develop a realist theory in ‘Politics among Nations’ His work came after the Second World War and gave a big impetus to theoretical studies of international relations.
As U.R. Ghai observes “His realist view of international politics- a struggle for power among nations which could be analyzed as interest defined in terms of power-not only provided a strong alternative to utopian idealism but also acted as an important invigorator for undertaking studies of international relations.”
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Similar observation has been made by Kenneth W. Thompson “Much of the literature of international politics is a dialogue, explicit or not between Moregenthau and his critics”.
Other scholars emphasizing the concept of power in the field of international relations include E.H. Cam George Schwarzen Berger, Qunicy Wright and Martin Wright.
However, as Prof. Mohinder Kumar observes “even among the realist writers, Hans Morgenthau occupies the most prominent place” or as Ghazi A.R. Algosaibi says ‘Realism and Morgenthauism have been synonymous.”
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This approach focuses on units of interaction in the International relations. It is called realism because it emphasizes the importance of national interest and power as a means to attain or further those interests.
Each nation is continuously involved in a struggle for power with other nations. The objective always is to secure national interest by means of power.
This, according to Morgenthau, is a natural and incontrovertible fact of relations among nations and hence very crucial for the understanding of international politics.
Hence, this is also called power approach defined by Morgenthau as “man’s control over the minds and actions of other men.”