Epilogue: The Human Condition of Politics

Abstract

If Morgenthau would not have written Politics among Nations, he would be largely forgotten today. This is the essence of Oliver Jütersonke’s (2010: 175) recent monograph. In fact, he even reduces it to the ill-famous six principles of political realism:

Were it not for those six principles of realism and the success of that textbook, it is doubtful whether we would be still talking of Morgenthau today, and even more doubtful that he would be considered a “canonical” thinker in International Relations. Grumble as he might about being misunderstood, even Morgenthau would have to accept that fact.

This analysis of Morgenthau’s worldview, however, has challenged this view. The intensifying discourse in the discipline on Morgenthau in particular and classical realism in general still cannot be reduced to an increased interest in the disciplinary history, but also provides an important contribution to International Relations. Morgenthau, therefore, rightly occupies a place among the discipline’s luminaries, as his thought stimulates new thought for twenty-first-century (international) politics. The epilogue to this book traces this importance for International Relations.