Carr: The Tweny Years' Crisis

Carr, EH. 1954. The twenty years' crisis 1919-1939. London: Macmillan.

Chapter 1: The Science of International Politics

This chapter compares realist approaches to understanding IP verses utopian approaches.

It begins by highlighting the clear need for a study of international politics after WWI and the failures of bureaucracies.

“Purpose” is seen as being inextricably linked to the study of sciences generally, but most forcefully in the social sciences. We must be explicit about the purpose that we are pursuing because it clouds our science and studies.

Utopian sciences: “…the investigators will pay little attention to existing ‘facts; or to the analysis of cause and effect, but will devote themselves whole heartedly to the elaboration of visionary projects for the attainment of the ends which they have in view--projects whose simplicity and perfection give them easy and universal appeal” (5).

“Like the alchemists, they were content to advocate highly imaginative solutions whose relation to existing facts was one of flat negation” (6).

“Teleology precedes analysis” (8).

“Like other infant sciences, the science of international politics has been markedly and frankly utopian” (8).

Realism: “In both physical and political sciences, the point is soon reached where the initial stage of wishing must be succeeded by a stage of hard and ruthless analysis” (9).

“He [the scientist] will have reached a stage when purpose by itself is seen to be barren, and when analysis of reality has forced itself upon him as an essential ingredient of his study” (10).

“The impact of thinking upon wishing which, in the development of a science follows the breakdown of its first visionary projects, and marks the end of its specifically utopian period, is commonly called realism” (10).

“But there is a stage where realism is the necessary corrective to the exuberance of utopianism, just as in other periods utopianism must be invoked to counteract the barrenness of realism…Sound political thought and sound political life will be found only where both have their place” (10).