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Realism is a theory in international politics, a theory about how the world really works. It states that political states care, above all else, about the balance of power. The balance of power that matters most is between states. States want to ensure that they have as much power as possible while their potential adversaries have as little power as possible. In the international system, there is no higher authority, no arbiter, no Supermen or Ironman to come to the rescue if a state gets into trouble. If a state is weak and a more powerful state comes after it, there is no higher authority to turn to for help because the system is anarchic. It is not hierarchical. In that world states must take care of themselves. This is what a friend calls a “self-help” world in international relations. In this self-help world, the goal is to become as powerful as possible because if you are very powerful, it’s highly unlikely that anyone will attack you. This has implications for liberal values and ideals. There will be cases where an idealistic policy aligns with a realist policy. The question arises: what happens when idealism and realism point in opposite directions? Realism, which prioritizes survival above all else, often prevails. Realism is based on the assumption that survival is the highest goal of the state, and because of this, it can override moral or economic considerations. Canadian response to the rise of China as a great power, particularly around 2017. Canada and the collective west sees China as a competitor and has a vested interest in maintaining a significant power advantage over it. This approach means the Canada needs pursue economic policies that hurt its own economy in the short term. Some argue that tough economic measures against China will damage our economy and slow its growth. The realist response to that critique is. That’s the price you’ll have to pay to contain China. But, should we contain China or work with them? #noWar