e people have a dark side. Basically, they believe that once a state has preserved its political autonomy and its territorial integrity, the states national interests could take different forms, for example, obtaining more land, resources, expanding their political and economic systems into other areas. For realists however, the most important factor on which a state should base its national interests is power. This power can be in terms of economic, political, diplomatic or in terms of military capability. However, this does not mean that realists are murderers or Hitlers (excuse the expression!), as realists still always imply that the most important duty of a state is to take care of its citizens. According to this political theory there is no authority over the state. It emphasizes that states have to rely on their own resources to protect themselves and to secure their interests.Because the realists have a view to the world that is fairly pessimistic, they have an approach to world politics called realpolitik. An ideal of realpolitik is to secure your own countries interests first on the basis that other countries will not help you unless its in their own interests. Another methodology realists use is called Balance of Power, this idea basically implies that diplomats of states should try to achieve and maintain a equilibrium of power in order to prevent any other country or a coalition of countries from dominating. They believe this can be done in many ways including, building up one owns strength, by creating allies, or by dividing ones opponents. A third method used to try and maintain stability and peace is by being powerful! Realists are paranoid and believe it is necessary to constantly be armed and trigger-ready because the world is dangerous. One of the other great contributors to realism was Morton Kaplan. In his book (System & Process In International Politics, 1957) he established the rules of the Balance of Power system...
