'Anarchy in international relations' posits that the
world system is leaderless: there is no universal sovereign or
worldwide government. There is thus no hierarchically superior, coercive
power that can resolve disputes or order the system.
Political scientists do not use the term "anarchy" to signify a world in chaos, in disorder, or in conflict. It simply reflects the order of the international system: independent states with no central authority above them.
[1]
The concept of anarchy is the foundation for
realist,
liberal,
neorealist, and
neoliberal international relations theories.
Constructivist theory disputes that anarchy is a fundamental condition of the international system, saying that "anarchy is what states make of it" (
Alexander Wendt).
References
1. The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, , John, Mearsheimer, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2001, 0-393-02025-8
External links
★
Anarchy from the ''Internet Encyclopedia of International Relations''.