Idealism (international relations)

Imagine you are playing with your favorite toy, a stuffed animal. Now imagine that you forget about the reality that the stuffed animal is just a toy made of fabric and stuffing. Instead, you start to believe that the stuffed animal is real - it has thoughts, feelings, and beliefs just like you do. That is what idealism means in international relations.

Idealism in international relations is a way of thinking where people believe that nations, just like people, have good intentions and can work together towards common goals. It's like thinking that every country wants peace and prosperity for everyone, and that if we all work together we can achieve that goal.

Idealists think that nations should cooperate, respect each other's beliefs and cultures, and work to solve problems together. They believe that diplomacy and negotiation are the best ways to resolve conflicts, which means talking through problems instead of fighting with weapons.

To put it simply, idealists hope that people and countries can work together, even if they have different ideas and beliefs. It's like trying to get along with your little brother or sister, even when they don't want to share their toys or play the same games as you.

But there's a catch to idealism. It doesn't always work because some countries may have different goals and be more interested in their own interests than working together. Sometimes, they might even use force to get what they want. That's where realism comes in, which is another way of thinking about international relations that we can talk about another time.