现实政治（德语：Realpolitik）源自十九世纪德国，由古代德国（普鲁士）铁血宰相奥托·冯·俾斯麦所提出，当代英文相关讨论沿用德文之Realpolitik。

现实政治主张，当政者应以国家利益做为从事内政外交的最高考量，而不应该受到当政者的感情、道德伦理观、理想、甚至意识形态的左右，所有的一切都应为国家利益服务。

然而现实政治从19世纪后期的普鲁士俾斯麦到20世纪的美国基辛格，虽都以国家利益至上为最高判准，但于国际外交及手段的历史脉络上有显著的不同。

19世纪后期的普鲁士，受现实政治主张战争为合理维护国家利益的手段，无需为出兵找道德的名号，因此在此思想的指导下，有德意志统一战争，例如普丹战争、普奥战争和普法战争等。

Realpolitik (from German:real "realistic", "practical", or "actual"; and Politik "politics", German pronunciation:[ʁeˈaːlpoliˌtɪk]) is politics or diplomacy based primarily on considerations of given circumstances and factors, rather than explicit ideological notions or moral and ethical premises. In this respect, it shares aspects of its philosophical approach with those of realism and pragmatism. It is often simply referred to as pragmatism in politics, e.g. "pursuing pragmatic policies" (Singapore). The term Realpolitik is sometimes used pejoratively to imply politics that are coercive, amoral, or Machiavellian.