The study of the relations among nations. It combines insights from many disciplines, especially history, economics, sociology, psychology and anthropology. Scholars seek to understand the processes which bring about war or the functional equivalent of it, and which give rise to aspirations for independence among nations despite their absence of a supreme power. The study of international politics is a means of increasing the efficiency of decision making, helping to eliminate unattainable goals and clarifying competing objectives. It has been the subject of much literature and discussion, especially since the atomic age. Traditionally it has included the study of the nature and causes of conflicts between states, but is now more generally viewed as an attempt to improve the quality of human life by helping men choose a future they can live with.
The theory that countries owe each other some kind of mutual obligation to protect their interests, based on the idea that one’s own security depends upon the security of others. This is a view that became influential during the Cold War, when nuclear weapons were seen as potentially destroying all of humanity. See also coercive diplomacy and deterrence.
The idea that America’s indisputable first objective should be to create an international order which allows more people around the world to enjoy freedom, security and prosperity, by bringing them into a globalized West. This is sometimes characterized as ‘globalisation as charity’.
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