“In an ideal world, where there are only good states, power would be largely irrelevant.”
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (Updated Edition)
Filter quotes by topic
Famous John Mearsheimer Quotes
“A state's potential power is based on the size of its population and the level of its wealth.”
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (Updated Edition)
“States have two kinds of power: latent power and military power.”
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (Updated Edition)
“Simply put, the most powerful state is the one that prevails in a dispute.”
“The most dangerous states in the international system are continental powers with large armies.”
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
“States care about relative wealth, because economic might is the foundation of military might.”
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (Updated Edition)
“Important benefits often accrue to states that behave in an unexpected way.”
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (Updated Edition)
“China, in short has the potential to be considerably more powerful than even the United States.”
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (Updated Edition)