How States Think

A groundbreaking examination of a central question in international relations: Do states act rationally?

To understand world politics, you need to understand how states think. Are states rational? Much of international relations theory assumes that they are. However, many scholars believe that political leaders rarely act rationally. The issue is crucial for both the study and practice of international politics, as only if states are rational can scholars and policymakers understand and predict their behaviour.

John J. Mearsheimer and Sebastian Rosato argue that rational decisions in international 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.

The authors make the case for their position by examining whether past and present world leaders, including George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin, have acted rationally in the context of momentous historical events. These include both world wars, the Cold War, and the post–Cold War era.

By examining this fundamental concept in a novel and comprehensive manner, How States Think reveals how leaders think and how to formulate policy for dealing with other states.