John J. Mearsheimer, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics

New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2001, pp 555.

Abstract

John J. Mearsheimer, a leading political scientist and professor at the University of Chicago, presents a provocative theory that has sparked significant debate within the field of International Relations. Mearsheimer is one of the foremost followers of structural realism, and in this book, he establishes his own version of it, which he calls offensive realism. The original edition was published in 2001 and was later updated and revised in 2014. The book aims to explain why there has been a historically persistent conflict among great powers and why peace is only temporary. Mearsheimer’s core argument is that the structure of the international system shapes how great powers interact, and, as no overarching authority exists in this structure, great powers are driven to maximise their own power, at the expense of others, leading to recurring competition and conflict. While this argument makes for a pessimistic interpretation of international politics, offering little hope for a peaceful world among the great powers, this position is articulated with much clarity. The purpose of this review is to discuss the main arguments of the book and to judge its strengths, weaknesses, and overall enduring value to any contemporary study contributing to the global order.