Of the two prominent schools of political thought loosely labeled Utopian and realist, the first has been subjected to rigorous criticism. There is increasing evidence that- the realist position needs equally close examination. This paper considers one position from which such an examination can be made systematically.

The assumption of leadership of the Western world by the United States has been generally accepted by American statesmen, scholars and publicists as a necessary but painful task. The Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy Administrations have understood that, in the circumstances following the second World War, the United States national interest could only be furthered through cooperation with other nations of the free world.