An example of realism

Answer 1

Realism can be defined as the situation where countries seek to control power through forceful means. It can also be defined as the process by which states can do what ever they can to ensure their survival in the international world even if it means resorting to war. Realism mostly revolves around anarchy. Realists are those who propound the theory of realism. They believe that for a country to mantain its interest, such country must resort to war. All states seek to control power. When power is not in one's hands, such people become restless and can do anything to ensure that other powers do not rise above them. A good example is the case of Russia's invasion of Afghanista in the the 1970s. This led America to elect Ronald Reagan as president and in other to prevent Russia's growing powers, he created the strategic defence initiative SDI which was able to send Russia into a state of oblivion.

Another example is the us/ussr cold war. Though they didn,t engage in physical battles with one another, they were just wary of one another because they were the only surviving world powers after ww2.

Thus, states struggle to protect their own interest and in the case of realism, feeble things such as diplomacy or negotiation makes no sense. War is the only thing that can brind true peace because man is percieved as innately greedy and selfish.

Answer 2

In the history of art Gustave Courbet is the front figure of Realism, click link below for his 'Stonebreakers' and other paintings!