A Prudent Realist

I think the most striking part of the realist philosophy is the view that nations block one another through the development of power advantages. When one nation appears to have the majority of the power, other nations with ally in order to create an effective block to that nation’s power, according to realists. This reflects the basic human tendency to want what your neighbor has and even to work with others to obtain it. Layne uses this as a central point in his essay because he says that other nations have seen the power of the United States and attempted to block this power with alliances. Furthermore Layne believes in the realist perspective that a nation’s security should be its primary concern which he proposes doing through offshore balancing in the case of the United States.

Realists stress that a nation can never take for granted its territorial security and therefore it must constantly be concerned with assuring its security. Similarly Layne argues that even though it is a hegemonic power, and even especially because it is, the United States must be constantly concerned for its security. This is because other nations see the power of the hegemonic nation and want to either alone or in concert with others take the place of the hegemonic power. It is only prudent for the United States to look out for its security because its status as a superpower makes it vulnerable to the jealous attacks of other nations.

Layne’s arguments deal almost exclusively with power in world politics and even when Layne discusses economics it is from the angle of the enhancement of military power through economic means. Layne says that through offshore balancing the United States could improve its economy and therefore improve its power in the international community. Layne views these economic issues as directly relating to the enhancement of power on the international stage.

All superpowers must come to an end, this assertion by Layne is not in the strict sense a realist sentiment but it is logical considering the history of all great empires. Therefore this assumption is a practical one that can be applied to the United States because Layne clearly defines the United States as a superpower. Subsequently Layne says that because of this the United States must look after its own security since the threats to its power clearly exist. Layne is prudent in that he assesses the threats posed to the United States because of its hegemonic status and the inclinations to “power block” in their jealousy of those states that hold the power in the international system. His concerns are not distant from those that the United States faces in this interconnected world and he does not spell out doomsday predictions without support. Therefore Layne’s sentiment does not reflect that paranoia but rather an interpretation of realistic theory that requires prudence when it comes to the practice of international affairs.

Erica Peterson