Reckless States and Realism
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4444112 |
|---|---|
| Authors | John J Mearsheimer (0000-0003-3312-9129, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2009 |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 241-256 |
| Publication date | 2009-06-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Relations (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0047-1178 • E-ISSN: 1741-2862 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/0047117809104637 |
| OpenAlex | W2034538133 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 42 |
| References cited | 1 |
Kenneth Waltz opted to reject the rational actor assumption in developing his theory of international politics. That choice, I argue in this article, creates three problems for his theory. First, it means that it is unsuited for explaining state behavior, which means it is of limited utility for explaining the workings of the international system. Second, Waltz's claim that his theory is well suited to explaining international outcomes - as opposed to state behavior - is unconvincing. Those outcomes are heavily influenced by the actions of the great powers, but if his theory cannot predict their behavior, it is unlikely to reliably predict the outcomes of their behavior. Third, Waltz's assumption that states often behave recklessly leads to a more competitive world than described in his theory. I conclude with the suggestion that the theory's greatest virtue is its normative value - its ability to explain how the world should work, not how it works
Economics · Epistemology · International relations · International relations theory · Law and economics · Normative · Political science · Politics · Positive economics · Realism · Sociology · State (computer science) · Value (mathematics) · Virtue · Waltz · Computer Science · Defense, Military, and Policy Studies · Global Peace and Security Dynamics · History · International Relations and Foreign Policy · Law · Philosophy
Realist Foreign Policy Analysis with a Twist
The Hultqvist doctrine” – Swedish security and defence policy after the Russian annexation of Crimea
Politinis Realizmas Tarptautiniuose Santykiuose
Problem-solvers of the world, unite! Waltz and the critical project
Choosing the Right Sidekick
Theory of Unipolar Politics
Elder Abuse: How the Moderns Mistreat Classical Realism1
Kenneth Waltz is not a neorealist (and why that matters)
Putin, the State, and War
Two Visions of Greatness
Neoclassical Realism as a Theory for Correcting Mistakes
A Neoclassical Realist Theory of Overbalancing
Drawing Out the Leviathan
Handling the Hegemon
Induction and Deduction in International Relations
((D)(E-)) Valuation of the EU’s “Moral Power” in the European Neighbourhood (Policy) (ENP)
Rethinking African security in the anthropocene
Brexit
The theoretical case against offshore balancing
Rationalism and the “rational actor assumption” in realist international relations theory
What's it like to be a state? An argument for state consciousness
Intervention in the Emerging Multipolar System
What Does Realist Foreign Policy Activism Tell Us About Realist Theory
Reassessing Chilean international security
Offensive realism, differentiation theory, and the war in Ukraine
Kenneth Waltz, Adam Smith and the Limits of Science
Biblical military ethics and the Israel defence forces
Teaching Australian foreign policy through the lens of strategic culture
The EU, Russia and the Manichean Trap
Turkey-Africa alliance
Concepts in Context
When identity becomes strategy
The epistemology of international politics
The Rarity of Realpolitik
Graceful Decline? The Surprising Success of Great Power Retrenchment
How Realism Waltzed Off
Unrest Assured
The hell of good intentions
Acuerdos Mercosur-Unión Europea desde la perspectiva de la política exterior Argentina
A Twenty Years’ Crisis? Rethinking the Cases for U.S. Economic Engagement with China
Roleplay, realpolitik and ‘great powerness
The ethics of neorealism
| Citations per year | 2.8 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2011 - 2026 (16) |
| Highly cited | No |