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Realpolitik
Sign in to saveRealpolitik ( ) is the approach of conducting diplomatic or political policies based primarily on considerations of given circumstances and factors, rather than strictly following ideological, moral, or ethical premises. In this respect, it shares aspects of its philosophical approach with those of realism and pragmatism.
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- ideology
- Subclass of
- pragmatism
- Image
- President Richard Nixon and Mao Zedong.jpg
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- different from
- anarcho-capitalism
Sources (2)
via Wikidata · CC0
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Encyclopedic overview
12 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- History and branches
- China
- Germany
- Singapore
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Pakistan
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Works cited
Realpolitik ( ) is the approach of conducting diplomatic or political policies based primarily on considerations of given circumstances and factors, rather than strictly following ideological, moral, or ethical premises. In this respect, it shares aspects of its philosophical approach with those of realism and pragmatism.
While generally used as a positive or neutral term, Realpolitik has been used pejoratively to imply policies that are perceived as being coercive, amoral, or Machiavellian. Prominent proponents of Realpolitik include Otto von Bismarck, Henry Kissinger, George H. W. Bush, George F. Kennan, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Deng Xiaoping, Charles de Gaulle, and Lee Kuan Yew. Realpolitik is often contrasted with Idealpolitik, which is guided by moral principles or ideals, and Gefühlspolitik, which is driven by and appeals to emotion or popular sentiment.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Realpolitik” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.