Political Science

There are no permanent friends or enemies in international politics, only permanent interests, this is the ideology which has served as the base of international politics for years and still does. In hope to prove this statement is still applicable to new international politics, Kenneth Waltz has made an attempt to develop an argument in favor of realism in his article Structural Realism after the Cold War. Waltz article is an answer for those who believe that new world order requires new and improved theories to be governed and a departure from structural realism for democracy, interdependence and international institutions prevailing in the world are making it a better place and which leaves no requirement of realism in international politics. . The focus of the article is to illustrate the influence of the powerful and developed states on the weak states through the descriptions of these variables.

The article is opens with the present conception of the international politics students, declaring realism to be obsolete and implying that changing times require change in governing theories new and improved theories would be fit  for new international political world. This is the focus of the article the article is an answer for all of those who believe realism to be obsolete due to the strengthening of democracies, interdependence and international institutions. One might ask that why only these variables, so the answer is that the previously mentioned variables are perceived to be to be the saviors of international politics from the structural realism. These variables would make this world a better and more peaceful place with equality and prosperity for all. The author has employed a theoretical approach in analyzing these variables. Waltz concludes that these variables are just a cover up by the world powers to facilitate their purposes in the world. Waltz accomplished this with support from the empirical evidences he was able to put forth a very strong and convincing argument as he individually analysis those variables. The variables are evaluated as the following

Democracy and Peace
Democracy is now perceived as the savior of the world for it preserves peace among states. The rational behind the dissemination of democratic rule is that, a democratic state would never wage a war or arose any conflicts which might lead to military hostilities between two democratic states. But the evidence shows that this was not at all true for Some American scholars thought that Wilhelmine
Germany was the very model of a modern democratic state with a wide suffrage, honest elections, a legislature that controlled the purse, competitive parties, a free press, and a highly competent bureaucracy. But in the French, British, and American view after August of 1914, Germany turned out not to be a democracy of the right kind.( Waltz 3) So later it was added that, a democratic state would not get into a war with the other democratic state provided that it is govern by liberal democracy. Even that statement was short lived, Waltz illustrates that how the world powers have used this tool of democracy to influence their opinions on others claiming that democracy would only indulge in war to maintain democracy for it is a solution for the states to reside in peace (where as un democratic states are a threat to the peace of the world). Waltz in criticizing the democratic usurp of a weak state by a powerful state, states the
Citizens of democratic states tend to think of their countries as good, aside from what they do, simply because they are democratic. Citizens of democratic states also tend to think of undemocratic states as bad, aside from what they do, simply because they are undemocratic. Democracies promote war because they at times decide that the way to preserve peace is to defeat non-democratic states and make them democratic. (7)

American intrusion in Chile is an example of that.
Interdependence
Interdependence is the dependency of states on the other states because of its market value. It is the relationship of peace and profit. As Waltz states
Now in pursuit of peace and profit trading state is replacing political military state.it promotes peace by multiplying contacts among states and contributes to mutual understanding (10-11)
But in reality, interdependence creates an uncomfortable and unjust relationship among states. For the powerful and developed state would always have an advantage over the weak and under-developing state. It is a dependent variable, as the weak and needier would always look up to the stronger and lees needy state for guidance or more like directions. The author quotes American interference around the globe as an example. He perceives that interdependence is a tool used by the Americans to maintain their hold on the worlds economy (supported by empirical evidence).

International institutions
According to Waltz, international institutions are made to serve their creators such as NATO or the IMF. The author has used the example of NATO as the primary source to support his argument that once an organization is created it takes a life of its own, it is autonomous. Reviewing the history of NATO, which was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization, has lost its original purpose today. The allegation posed on international institutions is that they serve national purposes of their creators and by that the author refers to the American influence on international institutions as well.

So with the elaborate review of these variables, which were the base of demanding a new theory to work with in the new international political scenario, proved to be just a cover up by the world powers in deceiving the world that these variables are the saviour of peace and balance in the world. These variables are a camouflage, a sugar coated deception for the under-developing and weak nations that they share equality of power and influence in the world. These variables are just a tool for the powerful states to maintain their hold on the world. Therefore, the structural realism prevails in the international politics it has just been given a different shape. This article has explicitly stated the methodology of international politics and its purposes. This article proves to be decisive in developing mature understanding of the international politics today and what theories it applies and the evidences provided makes the article convincing. Concluding that international relations will always be governed by national interests as it has been in the past and at present as well.