Vladimir Putin's Speech Analysis

Putin cannot be trusted by the Western countries. Because he switches back and forth between both Locke and Hobbes’ opposing views on human nature depending on his situation, his actions cannot be predicted. This poses a major problem for countries trying to make plans that involve Russia. Because Putin cannot be counted on to view human nature in a certain way, he poses a major problem for the other

The international system is anarchic. It is very important to notice that anarchy, according to Mearsheimer, does not mean chaos or disorder, but absence of centralized authority, that stands above states and protects

To better understand the realist perception, it is of fundamental importance to recognize that the global system is perceived to be in a state of international anarchy, as realists recognize no power greater than that of the nation-state (Grieco 607).

Various types of content and diction aren’t only used to communicate the purpose of the writing better, however the writing styles also assist in appealing to the author’s targeted audience. For example, Richard Stengel, used various types of content and diction to appeal to his targeted audience, people that believe that Putin isn’t significant and are underestimating Russia’s power over the world. For example anecdote, such as “It(Russia) cast an ominous shadow over the world...It’s significance dwarfed not just by the U.S. but also by the rising giants of China and India. That view was always naive,” is used to show the audience due to the negative impression Russia left over the world, it has been viewed to be insignificant. However, in reality Russia is in fact

Masha Gessen, Russian-American Journalist and Critically acclaimed author, visited Hofstra University’s campus with a knowledgeable access to Vladimir Putin; the “Inaccessible man”(Gessen). Gessen starts her 45-minute dialogue with a short narrative of her books, notably “The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin” and “The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia.” She continues by briefly describing what Putin has done in his short tenure in office. According to her, he has destroyed “years of progress”(Gessen).

In a realist world, states have “supreme power” over its territory and population, there is an absence of a higher authority. The fact that there is no higher authority has its consequences. States become self-interested, they compete for power and security. It can lead states to continuously struggle for power “where the strong dominate the weak (Kegley, 28).” This ultimately creates a system in which each state is responsible for its own survival, making them cautious towards their neighboring states. In addition, a realist world is a self-help system; “political leaders seek to enhance national security” by building armies and forming alliances (Kegley, 28). Economic and military power are key components to a state sovereignty and to national security.

Vladimir Putin has grown over the past few years to become one of America’s biggest concerns. Specifically in Syria where the United States and Russian influences are directly opposed to each other we can see how the use of language and rhetoric have played a role, Putin told the French media that the accusations against Russia were “rhetoric that did not take into account the realities in Syria”. Putin seems to believe a different reality that we have come to believe in the United States and he is trying to use the same rhetoric again and again to dismiss what is happening in Syria. I think Putin has done a great job to appear authoritarian within his own country, at the same time he seems to try and act collaborative outside of Russia’s borders.

In today’s society, there is constant commotion over how power is used and abused. In the real world, there is a big complication with Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, he is supposed to be a helping hand and a person that would help Russia with his power. On the contrary, many people who live in Russia and across the world have recognized the corrupt moves he makes by stealing money from citizens to build his empire and worth. Some find his abuse of power to be justified by how much he has helped Russia while others couldn’t disagree more. This example effectively demonstrates that power use and abuse is solely based on how the individual views it, not a set opinion everyone agrees with.

Vladimir Putin certainly does need to do something to look like he is at least working to lift the sanctions. Even though the Russian people and industry are adapting to the life under the sanctions, it does not mean they are happy living under the sanctions. It seems possible that the sanctions will increase discontent with the Russian people if Putin is not trying to get the sanctions lifted. Even though Putin needs to, try to get the sanctions lifted they still may be helping him Putin stay in power. Much of Putin’s rhetoric invokes Russian nostalgia to the time of the USSR when the Soviet Union was a global power. He can easily use spin the sanctions into an issue of the United States continuing to be worried about Russia’s rising global

There are two, key conflicting theories in the study of international relations, idealism and realism, known to scholars as the ‘Great Debate’. Realism, offers an account of international affairs through four central ideas; that states are the key players in international relations, the decentralised international stage is anarchic, actors are rational and self-interested

In the aftermath of WWII, the Yalta conference of 1945 determined the faith of the shattered eastern European countries. Due to the Soviet Union’s victory over Germany, Stalin demanded to be granted buffer zones as protection from future invasion. In exchange, President Truman and Prime Minister Churchill wished to see the buffer states in autonomy with free elections. Out of the many countries that came under Soviet influence such as Ukraine, Czechoslovakia, Albania, and Yugoslavia, one of Stalin's satellites states was Hungary, a war-torn nation that suffered so much, it tried to stage a revolution in 1956. One of the primary reasons why the Hungarian Revolution broke out was Nikita Khrushchev's Secret Speech. In his speech, Khrushchev denounced

(Waltz, 1979, p.103) Neo-realists thus explain that state’s serve their own interests in the international system by following a strict code of self help due to the absence of any authority above them. Possibilities for peace in the neo-realist perspective which is pragmatic in its view of international politics amidst anarchy and security competition are limited. Unlike their neo-liberal counterparts, neo-realists are pragmatic when it comes to discussions of peace in international

Realism focuses on the balance of power and how it impacts of actions of state actors within the international political system. Morgenthau said that, “The aspirations for power on the part of several nations, each trying to either maintain or overthrow the status quo, leads of necessity to a configuration that is called the balance of power and to policies that aim at preserving it” (Morgenthau 1967,131). He goes on by explain that not only is the balance of power and the policies that protect it inevitable but also that they are essential for

Theories are used in many fields of science, but in no field are they more prevalent than Political Science. These theories are often used and researched upon to try and attempt to discern how states interact with one another. Offensive Realism, a new branch of realist political theory, is brought forth in John Mearsheimer’s book, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. This theory focuses on the key aspects of realism, while adding a twist as to why war is an option. In his book, Mearsheimer explains the history of great powers, and predicts that China, the world’s current rising great power, will not gain hegemony in Asia peacefully. With the rise of China, he asserts the US will form coalitions with multiple states throughout Asia, to contain their growing power. This rise in power, and subsequent reactions by the US, are based on his theory Offensive Realism, which is used to predict China’s future actions. The rise of powers, and the reactions of other powers, is historically analyzed, beginning in the late 18th century, all the way to modern times. These analyzes each attempt to support his overall claim that China will rise through non-peaceful means, and shows significant support with historical examples. While the theory often meets an exception when the usual non-European power, Japan, is mentioned, Mearsheimer’s theory introduces a solid new aspect to the realm of Political Science, and presents enough evidence and information to be considered integral to

Realism is one of the main theories within International Relations. It provides the view that all actors within the international system act on their own self-interests to gain power. This essay intends to discuss its usefulness as a theory and the reasons for and against it being used to analyse world affairs. Firstly, it shall discuss how the theory is advantageous as it explains how shifts in the balance of power can lead to conflict however it is unable to explain why the distribution of power changes. Second, it will portray how it is useful because states do not need to be labelled as good or bad to fit the theory although it disregards the idea of Natural law and gives a cynical view of human morality. Finally, it will suggest that as the theory is very parsimonious, it can be applied to multiple situations within the world system. On the other hand, it will be said that it fails to look at individuals within a state and their influence on the actions of the state. These costs and benefits will be conveyed through the current tensions between the USA and North Korea to link the theory in with current world politics.