ABSTRACT
The inquiry here is to analyse briefly the four power structures political, cultural/ideological/symbolic attributes, economic resources and capabilities, and military strength and capabilities. Robert Gilpin following a neo-classical interpretation of liberalism, states that economic and military/political powers are separate spheres of power. There are certainly many serious accusations levelled against 'realism', and it would be an arduous affair to vigorously define all realist attributes. Traditionally liberalism has not been the opposite of realism. The usual opposite to liberalism is conservatism and mercantilism. Like realism, the theory of liberalism has assumed many forms – classical, neo-classical, Keynesian, monetarist, Austrian, rational expectation, commercial liberalism, republican liberalism, sociological liberalism, neo-liberalism. The most common claim made by scholars about realism is the assumption that realists place military power and coercive force above all other power resources, and that force is therefore the final arbiter.
