realpolitik
Realpolitik is a political system that's not based on beliefs, doctrines, ethics, or morals, but rather on realistic, practical ideas. Richard Nixon's diplomacy with China in the 1970's was an example of realpolitik.
Realpolitik is put into practice when governments deal in straightforward, goal-oriented ways with other governments. Nixon's conversations with the communist Chinese government are such a good example of realpolitik because he felt diplomacy was important despite Americans' distrust of communism. The word realpolitik, coined in 1914, comes directly from German, in which it literally means "practical politics."
-
politics based on practical rather than moral or ideological considerationssynonyms: practical politics
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Vocabulary lists containing realpolitik
Senator John McCain died on August 25, 2018 at the age of 81 after a long battle with brain cancer. McCain served in the US Navy as a bomber pilot, and survived several years in Vietnam as a prisoner of war. After retiring as a decorated war hero, he rose to national political prominence in the US Senate. He was defeated in two presidential bids, and was known as both a "non-nonsense" conservative and will be remembered as a figure of moral courage and bipartisan leadership.
Words from the semifinal rounds of the 2015 Scripps National Spelling Bee. (Full lists here and here.)
