Hi, thanks for your detailed comment. I studied interntaional realtions at univeristy and Mearsheimer's Tragedy of Great Power Politcs was one of the first books I bought. Yep, I think there are certainy interesting insights in the book (although it's quite a few years since I've read it now!) but if I remember correctly one of his big weaknesses is that he reduces all international interactions to a game of survival that is basically judged by army size. What he neglects is a whole host of domestic factors that can influnece how country's act in the world. For instance, I'd say that German foreign policy is quite clearly influenced by domestic perceptions of militarism visa-vis its hitsory. this is acting as a major constraint now on the speed at which germany rearms.
I think you can do worse than look at samuel huntington's predictions for 21st politics in Clash of Civilisations. some of his theory is overly simplistic but i think the various conflicts we are seeing today in Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan are best explained by a growing ascertain of culture as the primary justification for hegemony. I think, in contrast to Carl Schmitt, Huntington didn't see this as a positive development as it necessarily challenges universal principles like the right to self-determination
Extremely interesting analysis
Yes I second that!
Hi, thanks for your detailed comment. I studied interntaional realtions at univeristy and Mearsheimer's Tragedy of Great Power Politcs was one of the first books I bought. Yep, I think there are certainy interesting insights in the book (although it's quite a few years since I've read it now!) but if I remember correctly one of his big weaknesses is that he reduces all international interactions to a game of survival that is basically judged by army size. What he neglects is a whole host of domestic factors that can influnece how country's act in the world. For instance, I'd say that German foreign policy is quite clearly influenced by domestic perceptions of militarism visa-vis its hitsory. this is acting as a major constraint now on the speed at which germany rearms.
I think you can do worse than look at samuel huntington's predictions for 21st politics in Clash of Civilisations. some of his theory is overly simplistic but i think the various conflicts we are seeing today in Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan are best explained by a growing ascertain of culture as the primary justification for hegemony. I think, in contrast to Carl Schmitt, Huntington didn't see this as a positive development as it necessarily challenges universal principles like the right to self-determination