The Tragedy of Great Power Politics is a book by the American scholar John Mearsheimer on the subject of international relations theory published by W.W. Norton & Company in 2001. Mearsheimer explains and argues for his theory of "offensive realism" by stating its key assumptions, evolution from early realist theory, and its predictive capability. He readily acknowledges the inherent pessimism of offensive realism and its predictions because his world is one in which conflict between great powers will never see an end.
“The most dangerous states in the international system are continental powers with large armies.”
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 4, The Primacy of Land Power, p. 135
“Preserving power, rather than increasing it, is the main goal of states.”
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 1, Introduction, p. 20
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 1, Introduction, p. 2
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Preface, p. xi
The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001)
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 6, Great Powers in Action, p. 211
“Decapitation is a fanciful strategy.”
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 4, The Primacy of Land Power, p. 109
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 10, Great Power Politics in the Twenty First Century, p. 361
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 1, Introduction, p. 15
“Bandwagoning is a strategy for the weak.”
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 5, Strategies for Survival, p. 163
“A state's potential power is based on the size of its population and the level of its wealth.”
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 2, Anarchy and the Struggle for Power, p. 43
“In an ideal world, where there are only good states, power would be largely irrelevant.”
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 1, Introduction, p. 16
“States have two kinds of power: latent power and military power.”
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 3, Wealth and Power, p. 55
“China, in short has the potential to be considerably more powerful than even the United States.”
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 10, Great Power Politics in the Twenty First Century, p. 398
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 6, Great Powers in Action, p. 202
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 8, Balancing versus Buck-Passing, p. 269
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 8, Balancing versus Buck-Passing, p. 293
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 10, Great Power Politics in the Twenty First Century, p. 385
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 7, The Offshore Balancers, p. 252
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 9, The Causes of Great Power War, p. 337
John Mearsheimer book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Source: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Chapter 4, The Primacy of Land Power, p. 84
