Man, the State, and War

work by Waltz

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July 16, 2026

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Man, the State, and War: A Theoretical Analysis (1959) by Kenneth N. Waltz examines the causes of war and peace by analyzing the views of prominent Western thinkers. Waltz, a key figure in developing the field of international relations, is best known for his neorealist theory. This theory posits that the international system's structure, characterized by anarchy (the absence of a world government) and the distribution of power among states, is the primary driver of international politics.1

Waltz's work contrasts with earlier liberal analyses that focused on individuals and societal factors, or on the idea that democratic states are inherently peaceful. His approach emphasizes the competitive interplay of self-interested actors within an anarchic system, where states rely on their own efforts for security. The distribution of power, particularly polarity (unipolarity, bipolarity, or multipolarity), is seen as crucial in shaping international stability.213

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political science
Systems analysis
In Man, the State, and War (1959), the American international relations theorist Kenneth Waltz applied systems theory to the study of international conflict to develop a view known as structural realism. Waltz argued that the underlying cause of war is an anarchic international system in which…
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In Man, the State, and War (1959), the American international relations theorist Kenneth Waltz applied systems theory to the study of international conflict to develop a view known as structural realism. Waltz argued that the underlying cause of war is an anarchic international system in which…
Read More