Reference News Network, October 29 report: The Hong Kong South China Morning Post website published an interview on October 27 with the title "We Are Still Living in Anarchy": Mearsheimer on Great Power Politics, written by Ma Jieyun. The full text is as follows:

John Mearsheimer is a professor at the University of Chicago in the United States and has been teaching there since 1982. He has written extensively on security issues and international politics, and is known for his theory of offensive realism in international relations. This theory states that to dominate the international system, great powers must constantly engage in security competition, which can sometimes lead to war.

China Hopes to Play a Greater Role

The South China Morning Post asked: Is a multipolar world order still forming?

John Mearsheimer answered: Since 2017, we have been in a multipolar world. In this multipolar world, I believe the three major powers are the United States, China, and Russia. China is an equal competitor to the United States. China is very strong economically, and it is converting its economic strength into military power.

There is no doubt that in this multipolar world, China is interested in playing a greater role in existing international institutions such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. The Belt and Road Initiative is an example. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is another example. Of course, the BRICS cooperation mechanism is the third example.

Question: You have previously said that the United States will not accept an equal competitor, but China advocates "win-win" and urges the United States to abandon the "zero-sum mindset."

Answer: It is reasonable for the Chinese to talk about "win-win," and this moderate language helps other countries believe that China is a constructive participant in the international system.

Question: Are nations forced to constantly maximize their power due to conflicts and their own interests, ensuring safety and survival in the jungle? Is this statement correct according to the "realist" theory of international relations?

Answer: Survival is the top priority for every country, because if you cannot survive, you will face national humiliation or disappear from the earth. Therefore, survival is always the top priority for a country, whether we are talking about China, the United States, Nicaragua, or South Africa. In the international system, the best way to survive is to be strong. If you are weak, other countries will take advantage of you. The best way to survive is to be strong.

If I were a Chinese citizen, I would want China to be stronger than any other country on Earth. In such an international system, the best way to survive is to become very strong. China understands this, and so does the United States, so these two countries are competing to become stronger.

Economic Inequality Causes Division in the United States

Question: Is the political polarization in the United States a temporary phenomenon that will significantly weaken after Trump's second term, or a long-term trend?

Answer: I do not think Trump is primarily responsible for the political division in the United States, although he has exacerbated it. I think he took advantage of this political division to win in 2016 and then again in 2024. There is no doubt that there is deep political division in the United States, which threatens the essence of American democracy.

We Americans are facing a major crisis. We have a special political system, usually called liberal democracy, which most Americans cherish. I certainly do, and I want to ensure that liberal democracy thrives in my country for the foreseeable future. However, if you examine the forces within the United States that cause this political division, you have ample reason to be concerned.

The fact is that a large number of lower-class and even middle-class people are extremely dissatisfied with the ruling elite, especially the liberal intellectuals. Moreover, they feel they have little say in government policies. In fact, they believe that the elites manage the country for their own benefit.

Related to this, it is clear that if you look at the economic situation in the United States, ordinary Americans find it difficult to afford housing costs and food costs, more broadly speaking, daily living costs. This is because the ruling elite, who manage the government, are using the system to sacrifice their interests for personal gain.

In other words, there is serious economic inequality in the United States. This is largely the cause of the political polarization, which leads to the severe division between red and blue states.

Getting Along Well with Chinese Interlocutors

Question: If we have rule-based international institutions, are we still living in an international anarchy?

Answer: We live in anarchy because there is no higher authority to enforce these rules.

This is why international law has limited effectiveness. In the international system, there is no world state, no higher authority, no international police force. Of course, this is why countries must ensure their own security and want a favorable balance of power.

In short, the international system is a self-help system, and in a self-help system, the best way to survive is to be strong, and all countries quickly realize this.

Question: You are a popular scholar in China. Why is that?

Answer: I think I have a lot in common with most Chinese elites. I think most Chinese people are realists, and they identify with the overall way I think about the world.

I have been to many countries and spoken with many people. But I think there is no country in the world where people like discussing international relations theory more than the Chinese. Of course, I like international relations theory, so intellectually, I feel very comfortable in China. I think this is a very important reason why I am popular in China. It may sound a bit strange, but when it comes to thinking about international politics, the Chinese and I are on the same page, and I almost always have excellent intellectual exchanges with my Chinese interlocutors. (Translated by Ge Xuele)

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7566548000118522431/

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