When acquiring knowledge of the world there are so many things one must take into consideration so many different perspectives that relate to one issue on the global scheme of things. An introduction to all forms of International Theories allows one to begin understanding their own views and how they pertain to the world at hand. There is not one theory that will completely acknowledge ones perspective but rather a collection of theories blended. Realism, Structuralism, International Political Economy and NeoLiberalism work separately and yet contain similarities on certain stands. .
Realism, in a broad definition, looks at power struggles, states as the main actors in the international system and tends to take a more pessimistic approach to the world and its problems. A realist view looks at war and determines that its human response to the increase of competition for power, militarily wise and well as economical. Take the Cold War for example: Realists would look at this event and conclude that it was ultimately human nature that caused this to happen and that it will inevitably happen again. They believe that where there is always struggle for power there will always be war and suffering. Realists do not look to change but maintain that past events will threaten future events. They do not believe in the concept of learning from our mistakes but that we as humans are bound to forever repeat the same mistakes and that is the nature of things. .
The Realist theory looks at States as the key players in the International system (Momani. Notes, 2002) and that since it is the state that is viewed as the player, the people ultimately go without a voice. However, the Realist Theory is understood because it does not look at how things should be, but in fact how they are. It looks to analyze what is already occurring and why it is occurring rather than how to change it. .