| In the post-Cold War period, the works of political theorist and classical realist Hans J. Morgenthau have been criticized for their perceived amorality and inapplicability to political decision-making outside the bipolar, Cold War system. This thesis demonstrates that such assessments are misconceptions. By testing a critical case, this thesis reveals that the works of Morgenthau are indeed applicable to contemporary politics, and may be more broadly applied to cases of state-level decision-making and prioritization. This thesis tests the case of post- Cold War American nuclear weapons rollback and demonstrates that the moral theories of Morgenthau are especially applicable to post-Cold War experiences of cooperative arms control and unilateral cuts to the American nuclear weapons program.;Keywords: Realism; case study; nuclear weapons; Morgenthau, Hans J.; classical realism; post-Cold War; rollback; United States of America; decision-making; national interest; morality; arms control. |
