If we are to have peace, we must learn loyalty to a larger group. And before we can learn loyalty, the thing to which we are to be loyal must be created.

Each state pursues its own interest's, however defined, in ways it judges best. Force is a means of achieving the external ends of states because there exists no consistent, reliable process of reconciling the conflicts of interest that inevitably arise among similar units in a condition of anarchy.

In a zero-sum game, the problem is entirely one of distribution, not at all one of production.

According to the first image of international relations, the locus of the important causes of war is found in the nature and behavior of man. Wars result from selfishness, from misdirected aggressive impulses, from stupidity.

To build a theory of international relations on accidents of geography and history is dangerous.

Then what explains war among states? Rousseau's answer is really that war occurs because there is nothing to prevent it.

No system of balance functions automatically.