The Foundations of Political Realism

Abstract: Political realism aims to describe the interaction of agents involved in struggles for political power. This article formulates realism in terms of quantitative postulates that depict political power as a fluid-like substance flowing through a network of agents. It is shown that agent preferences within this framework resemble those of nation states competing for power. It is suggested that this approach provides a methodology for resolving longstanding debates about realism and a template for interpreting aspects of political behavior more generally.