Понятие войны в политическом реализме

Философские науки. 2020. Т. 63. № 11. С. 104–127.

Kucherenko S.

The article deals with the concept of war in modern political realism. Re-
alism claims to have an original notion of war, which distinguishes it from
empirical war studies and from other schools in international relations theory.
Realism does not have a strict formal definition of war like empirical studies
do, it focuses on understanding the causes and nature of war instead. The dis-
tinction between realism and other international relations theories like idealism,
Marxism or constructivism consists in the realist notion of politics. Realism
understands politics as an eternal struggle for power that underlies all social
life, while war is the most intense manifestation of this struggle. Thus, the pos-
sibility of war cannot be eradicated. The article shows the normative aspects
of such understanding of war. Realism, unlike pacifism or just war theory, is
less enthusiastic about ethical or legal regulation of war; furthermore, it shows
the dangers that may be caused by political moralism and “criminalization” of
war. On the other hand, realism fails to provide a set of norms or principles that
would surpass the just war principles. The realist principles of national inter-
est and prudence are as vague, unclear and prone to misuse as classic just war
principles are. Author draws a conclusion that to be able to create a valid set of
principles of war, realism needs to further converge with international relations
theory schools and “enlarge” the set of its base theoretical notions.

Keywords: война, war, политический реализм, political realism, Hans Morgenthau, Ганс Моргентау, Kenneth Waltz, Кеннет Уолц