How States Think: The Rationality of Foreign Policy

by: John J. Mearsheimer (Author),Sebastian Rosato(Author)

Publisher: Yale University Press

Publication Date: September 5, 2023

Language: English

Print Length: 304 pages

ISBN-10: 0300269307

ISBN-13: 9780300269307

Book Description

A groundbreaking examination of a central question in inteational relations: Do states act rationally?   To understand world politics, you need to understand how states think. Are states rational? Much of inteational relations theory assumes that they are. But many scholars believe that political leaders rarely act rationally. The issue is crucial for both the study and practice of inteational politics, for only if states are rational can scholars and policymakers understand and predict their behavior.   John J. Mearsheimer and Sebastian Rosato argue that rational decisions in inteational politics rest on credible theories about how the world works and emerge from deliberative decision‑making processes. Using these criteria, they conclude that most states are rational most of the time, even if they are not always successful. Mearsheimer and Rosato make the case for their position, examining whether past and present world leaders, including George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin, have acted rationally in the context of momentous historical events, including both world wars, the Cold War, and the post–Cold War era.     By examining this fundamental concept in a novel and comprehensive manner, Mearsheimer and Rosato show how leaders think, and how to make policy for dealing with other states.
A groundbreaking examination of a central question in inteational relations: Do states act rationally?   To understand world politics, you need to understand how states think. Are states rational? Much of inteational relations theory assumes that they are. But many scholars believe that political leaders rarely act rationally. The issue is crucial for both the study and practice of inteational politics, for only if states are rational can scholars and policymakers understand and predict their behavior.   John J. Mearsheimer and Sebastian Rosato argue that rational decisions in inteational politics rest on credible theories about how the world works and emerge from deliberative decision‑making processes. Using these criteria, they conclude that most states are rational most of the time, even if they are not always successful. Mearsheimer and Rosato make the case for their position, examining whether past and present world leaders, including George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin, have acted rationally in the context of momentous historical events, including both world wars, the Cold War, and the post–Cold War era.     By examining this fundamental concept in a novel and comprehensive manner, Mearsheimer and Rosato show how leaders think, and how to make policy for dealing with other states. Read more