John J. Mearsheimer’s The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2001, 555 pp.) is a landmark work in international relations. In this book, Mearsheimer presents his theory of offensive realism, which explains why great powers constantly compete for dominance. The central idea is simple: in a world without a central authority to enforce rules, states must rely on themselves to survive. As Mearsheimer writes, “Great powers are always searching for opportunities to gain power over their rivals, because only the strongest states can ensure their survival.” This ongoing struggle for power is what he calls the “tragedy” of great power politics.

The book begins by setting out five key assumptions. First, the international system is anarchic—there is no global government to guarantee security. Second, all states possess military capabilities. Third, states can never be fully certain about the intentions of other states. Fourth, survival is the most fundamental goal........

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