Realpolitik

noun (often capitalised; also used attributively)

/reɪˈɑːlpɒlɪˌtiːk/

A system of politics based on practical considerations and national interest rather than on ideological, moral, or ethical principles — associated especially with Bismarck's statecraft and Cavour's diplomacy.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

India's engagement with rival power blocs reflects a calculated Realpolitik, in which strategic autonomy and energy security frequently outweigh the rhetoric of value-based diplomacy.

Synonyms

pragmatismpower politicsrealismexpediencystatecrafthard-headed diplomacy

Antonyms

idealismmoralismutopianismprincipled diplomacy

🌱 Word Family

realpolitiker (n), realpolitik (adj attributive); No standard English derived forms

🔡 Root

German compound: real = actual, practical + Politik = politics; coined by Ludwig von Rochau (1853); entered English 1870s

📜 Etymology

German, literally "real politics" or "practical politics"; a compound of real ("actual") + Politik ("politics"); coined by the German writer Ludwig von Rochau in his 1853 book Grundsatze der Realpolitik; entered English in the 1870s.

🧠 Memory Hook

Break it as "real + politics" — politics done for REAL-world power, not lofty ideals; think of Bismarck's "iron and blood" pragmatism over noble principle.

🏛️ History & Culture 📖 Seen in: Unification of Italy & Germany

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