Normativity of Structural Realism and Notion of State

Abstract

The article is devoted to the influence that concept of state has upon understand­ing of state interest in structural realism. Turns out that state interest in structural realism is imposed upon state by the very structure of international system, which may be one of key factors in normative turn of structural realism. We claim that it is only possible because structural realism tries to ignore inner structure of the state or present it as “contingent” factors “outside the system”. Presenting state as an “individual” allows to ignore its de facto interests and present struc­ture-formed interests as objective and desirable ones. The claim that the struc­ture-imposed interests are the only authentic and important ones in international relations transforms structural realism into normative theory that demands the states to act uniformly according to these interests. The main danger is that structural realism has potential to raise distrust among states, while removing re­sponsibility from statesmen, who are fulfilling “objective” interests in their states.