Major Power Status in International Politics

Abstract

International politics operates under conditions of anarchy and inequality. Anarchy is a fundamental assumption about the state of international affairs: the absence of centralized governmental structures responsible for world order and global governance.¹ As a constant in international affairs, the assumption of anarchy clearly cannot explain variation in international political conditions. Nevertheless, it is a critical assumption: the manner in which international actors construct mechanisms to struggle against anarchy—or, “what states make of it” (Wendt 1992)—varies across space, time, state capabilities, and the innovative thinking of policy makers. Consequently, most approaches to international politics have outlined mechanisms and processes through which states seek to overcome problems associated with anarchy.