Moral Values and International Politics

Abstract

It is illusory to think that politics can be free of values. Those spokesmen of realpolitik whom we read long after passing of their historical era called not for repudiation but reinterpretation of values. Machiavelli wrote of virtu, Rousseau of the noble savage, and nationalists of national glory. The debate over values, despite claims of so-called value-free social science, has never been between one school of thought espousing values and another rejecting all values. Rather, almost always, it involves two groups with different sets and concepts of values-different perspectives on nature and content of values. No one who lives in human community can be wholly amoral, if he would work with and deserve trust and response of others. We recall reference by Harold Nicolson to classic definition of diplomat as a man sent abroad to lie and deceive in interest in his country. Yes, said Nicolson, but also he must return to negotiate another day. Part of our problem in gaining clarity on values in international politics is that most of us are endlessly tempted either to inflate or to disparage role of morality in politics and thus fall prey at opposite extremes to moralism or cynicism in our views.