Waking up from the summer sleep and moving to the University o | Policy Wonk

Waking up from the summer sleep and moving to the University of Chicago where I am now studying, I thought that the channel is too focused on the empirical part of international relations without covering the theory. However, theory is the foundation of any research which explains the world that empirics rigorously describes.

In IR theory is mainly made through books and not articles, therefore each idea will be spread through several days or weeks in discussion of its different sides and implications. Bearing in mind my new place of study, it will be sensible to start with the great hard-core realist theory of the Chicago professor John Mearsheimer and his book “The Tragedy of Great Power Politics”.

Mearsheimer calls himself offensive realist and has a simple and powerful idea. All great powers are constantly trying to gain more power and establish a hegemony over the whole world. As firms competing at the market with cut-throat competition great powers are not interested in maintaining status quo. They are interested in becoming a monopoly. Because otherwise someone else will establish the monopoly over them.

The fact that we are not living in the state of constant war is simply the result of the rationality of great powers — sometimes the conditions are not favourable, great powers are amassing resources and waiting for more benign circumstances. However, they never abolish the idea of increasing their share of world power and changing the rules in their favour.

This behaviour of world powers which may seem irrational or morally abhorrent is a result of simple fear. The international system has no authority, states have military power and countries cannot be sure in the intentions of their neighbours. This uncertainty causes fear and the most optimal response when attack is the best defence and you should eat in order not to be eaten.

This theory has very important implications but also possible limitations. In the days ahead we will discuss how it is proven by the historical cases and what does it say about our existing politics. As a post-scriptum, the Tragedy of Great Power Politics is concisely expressed in the judgement of Bismarck on the independence of XIX century Poland: “I have every sympathy for their situation, but if we wish to survive we have no choice but to wipe them out.”