Tragedy,Politics and Political Science

Abstract

I review the respective claims of Frost, Mayall and Rengger about the normative benefits of knowledge of tragedy and the potential of global civil society to transform the international system. I argue that Thucydides and Morgenthau were more optimistic about the ability of human beings to learn from art, history and experience. They believed – as do I – that tragedy is part and parcel of the human condition, and will always be with us for the reasons Frost so effectively summarizes. This does not preclude significant improvements in human rights and conflict management at the domestic and international levels. Pessimistic outlooks on such prospects are all too readily made self-fulfilling, so it is important that we commit ourselves to this goal independently of our estimates ofultimate success. These expectations, and our behavior, should nevertheless be tempered by sensitivity to the causes and consequences of tragedy.