Anarchy
in
international
relations describes the world system
as leaderless: there is no universal
sovereign or worldwide government.
There is thus no hierarchically
superior, coercive
power that can
resolve disputes or order the system
like there is in the domestic level.
Political scientists do not use the term "anarchy" to signify a world in chaos, in disorder, or in conflict. It simply reflects the order of the international system: independent states with no central authority above them.
The concept of anarchy is the foundation for realist, liberal, neorealist, and neoliberal international relations theories. Constructivist theory disputes that anarchy is a fundamental condition of the international system, saying that "anarchy is what states make of it" (Alexander Wendt).
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Anarchy in international relations".