“In short, unbalanced bipolar systems are so unstable that they cannot last for any appreciable period of time.”
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 9, The Causes of Great Power War, p. 337
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John Mearsheimer 32
American political scientist 1947Related quotes

In Republican presidential debate, Orlando, Florida, 21 October 2007 http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/21/us/politics/21debate-transcript.html?pagewanted=3
2000s, 2007

“I'd like to get a lot done in a short period of time.”
As quoted in "Crean on : rebuilding the tradition of Indiana basketball" by David Burkart in IUplanet Newsletter (7 October 2007) http://iuplanet.com/forum/indiana-basketball-news/20261-crean-rebuilding-tradition-indiana-basketball.html
Context: I'd like to get a lot done in a short period of time.... Your head coach won’t be real patient. Trying to keep it in perspective? Yes. Real patient? No.

PBS NewsHour, October 26, 2006 PBS Newshour http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec06/iraq_10-25.html (2006). On the "benchmarks" used by George W. Bush.
Source: The Autobiography of Wilhelm Stekel (1950), p. 132

Ackoff (1999, p. 34) cited in: Michael C. Jackson (2000) Systems Approaches to Management. p. 234.
1990s

“Hence buildings made of these kinds of wood last for an unending period of time.”
Source: De architectura (The Ten Books On Architecture) (~ 15BC), Book II, Chapter IX, Sec. 12
Context: The hornbeam... is not a wood that breaks easily and is very convenient to handle. Hence the Greeks call it "zygia," because they make of it yokes for their draught animals... Cypress and pine are also just as admirable; for although they... are apt to warp when used in buildings... they can be kept to a great age without rotting because the liquid contained within their substances has a bitter taste which by its pungency prevents the entrance of decay or of those little creatures which are destructive. Hence buildings made of these kinds of wood last for an unending period of time.

As quoted in The Money Masters (1995)