ABSTRACT
Liberalism is a school that believes that a rational and moral political order derived from universally valid abstract principles can be achieved. Both realism and liberalism depart from the same premise—that international institutions are an important feature of the contemporary international system. Realists contend that the anarchical nature of the international system encourages states to commit themselves to institution building only if their relative gains—vis-à-vis other states in the proposed institution—are assured. Scholars talking about big powers have always been conscious about categorising states as “small” and “big”. The African territories were to become autonomous republics with the theoretical opportunity for them to form a confederation, though still under the aegis of the French state. Realists contend that the anarchical nature of the international system encourages states to commit themselves to institution building only if their relative gains—vis-à-vis other states in the proposed institution—are assured.
