Security Dilemma in Structural International Relations Theory

Abstract The security dilemma plays a central role in theories that explain international competition as a result of the pressures created by the international system. The challenge faced by these theories — which are termed structural realism — is to explain how rational states that are interested only in security can nevertheless end up in competition and war. Prominent structural‐realist theories emphasize the roles played by international anarchy — the lack of an international authority that can enforce agreements and protect states against the use of force — and the importance of power (Waltz, 1979). In the end, however, a satisfactory explanation of competition and war requires appreciation of the security dilemma. Including the security dilemma in structural international relations theories has dramatic implications, enabling them to explain variation in the competition fueled by the international system and raising the possibility of extensive international cooperation and sustained peace.