Hans J. Morgenthau

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Hans J. Morgenthau, a key figure in political realism, shaped international relations scholarship in the twentieth century. His work, Politics among Nations, defined the field in 1948, marking a significant shift in American diplomacy post-World War II. However, upon his death in 1980, little was known about his early life, education, and the foundations of his political philosophy. In this comprehensive volume, Christoph Frei utilizes a wealth of resources, including previously unseen diaries, correspondence, and manuscripts, to reveal Morgenthau's intellectual development. Frei explores the origins of Morgenthau's ideas and addresses common misconceptions, such as his connections to Augustinian thought and Reinhold Niebuhr, as well as the influences of thinkers like Max Weber, Hans Kelsen, and Carl Schmitt. Notably, he provides compelling evidence of Friedrich Nietzsche's significant impact on Morgenthau's work. Praised in its original German, this study offers a coherent portrayal of the European intellectual influences that shaped Morgenthau's contributions to American thought.