Critically examine the idealist approach in international relations. Do you think idealism has come to an end in today’s world? Comment.

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Idealism in international relation is an approach of dealing a particular event with some inherent assumption of human behaviour like “All human beings are peace loving”, “Human believes in cooperation”, “Its the inherent flaws of environment that compels human being to do wrong things” etc.

Idealism as an approach in international relation originated as an aftermath of WW1 to prevent any future war. It led to the formation of  “The League of the Nation AKA The United Nation”. But we all know The league of the nation failed measurably in preventing the preventable war-the WW2.

So does it mean that  idealism as a concept is anachronism for International Relations ?. Before we delve into this lets go for an excursion of 19^th Century India.

Case Study:
1)Education System before British intervention:
→observation of William Adam and many the then writers and sociologist vindicates below observation.
→Gurus used to charge more fee from rich and less from middle income while providing free service to the poorest section.
→All student whether rich or poor sat at same place(ignoring of course the caste reality).
→Guru used to declare holiday during harvesting occasion so that students can contribute in labor required by family in the fields.
→Even during the occasions like marriage, Guru used to declare holiday asking other students to contribute social support in the marriage.

Thus School was not only a place of inculcating literary knowledge but it also ensured social development of student. It appears very ideal situation; because  there is no law which bars Guru to charge less fee or to ensure attendance then also Guru is providing free education to many and ensuring attendance in school.

2)The British Intervention:
→British passed law which bared discriminatory fee structure and now Rich and poor has to pay same.
→Attendance was made mandatory...no holiday for local events like harvesting and marriage.

Impact:
Poor couldn’t afford fee  and those who could, didn’t send their child to school because they needed their support in harvesting season. Rich wanted certificate hence left autonomus school of gurus as a result of which cross subsidy given by guru became unsustainable and even gurus left the idealism and started demanding more money bringing money at par of social respect.. History witnessed an ironic event: collapse of education system by education policy.

What i want to say here is, Before british idealism was an acceptable approach to understand India but with Engish intervention idealism became impractical. But the british continued to claim that they were colonising india for Indians and not for their greed. So idealism is not present in ground but survived in subconscious space and often appeared as a soothing countenance.

 

Case Study: Syrian Crisis
→Russia is protecting the Syrian gov while USA is on the rebels side.
→both Russian and USA states that they want to install peace and hence supporting their ally. So by statement it appears an approach of idealism.
→But reality is , Both of them need power to create hegemony in middle east. Which is against the very assumption of idealism. Like Russia by supporting the rulling ellite of Syria and iran can counter Saudi axis. While USA want to control Iran axis by attacting the ruling ellite of Syria.
→so, approach of realism seems to be more appropriate here; But it does not mean that idealism is not worth studying remember non of them will accept that they are fighting for their own greed and not for peace.

to understand above example lets look back in our own society and family. Every mother and father loves their child. Their love is not based on money . its pure love for their child. With time society started asking dowry ; it brought a drastic change in social structure now same father and mother started justifying child marriage; why keep feeding a girl who will ultimately be an economic burden better to marry her and save some money. Now none of the parents would accept this statement. They would always argue that they are doing this for their child or culture and not for money. But when in WB Mamta banarjee announced a scheme of giving cash to girls family if girl is married after 18, there was a drastic reduction in child marriage in Bengal. Even UN recognised this.

 

In conclusion we can say that since present world follows rule thus ignoring vaues hence diluting the significance of idealism. At the same time  specially in International Relation every country is sovereign by herself thus has the potential to  unilaterally change the rule. This unpredictability abhors idealism and creates a constant craving to maintain Balance of power like what we discussed in Syrian crisis.

Therefore its safe to assume that Idealism is an obsolete weapon to understand the international events but at the same time pinch of  idealistic approach is required along with realism when we are acting as a voice of a nation.