Beyond Westphalia-The Difficulties of the Three Principles of Realism

Abstract

International actors are fundamental units of research in the field of international relations, with state actors being the primary focus. The political relationships between countries serve as the basis for current mainstream research in international relations theory. However, the author believes that with the evolution of the international system and the increasing complexity of the international community, the traditional Westphalian system and its derivative concept of absolute sovereignty have become outdated. This limits the effectiveness of the current paradigm used to describe objective reality and its ability to guide practical applications. As a result, it is necessary to redefine these propositions. In this paper, the author will use literature investigation and historical analysis methods to deconstruct the three mainstream views of the national center, rational countries, and single country perspectives. This will demonstrate that a variety of international actors and power centers have emerged in the field of international relations and are playing increasingly important roles. This highlights the need to move beyond the limitations of a single nation system towards a more nuanced understanding of international relations. Through a multi-center perspective and utilizing multidisciplinary research methods, including techniques from quantum mechanics, the author will work towards developing a more accurate theory based on the reality of the international relations system.