Identify the similarities and differences between Marxism and Neo-realism. How significant are they?

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Identify the similarities and differences between Marxism and Neo-realism. How significant are they?

Despite differences in the roots of each school of thought, there are key similarities between Marxism and Neo-realism.

A key similarity comes in their understanding of the concept of hegemony and the maintaining of world order. In contrast to pure Realists, Neo-realists see power as something which does not solely stem from the degree of military capabilities but instead stems from the accumulated capabilities of the state. Rather than solely assess military strength, neo-realists study the distribution of power to better understand the international system. In order to ensure survival, states must try to accumulate power to remain secure. Thus what emerges is an order of states, separated by degrees of power. Nations at the top rank of the world order become hegemons, able to influence the policies of other nations in their vicinity.

In the eyes of neo-realist proponents such as Kenneth Waltz, the forming of and the effectiveness of the United Nations, NATO and other international institutions, rests on the ability of the global hegemon(s) (in this case the United States) to support them. It is through these