What are the causes of war? How might the world be made more peaceful? In this landmark work of international relations theory, first published in 1959, the eminent realist scholar Kenneth N. Waltz offers a foundational analysis of the nature of conflict between states. He explores works by both classic political philosophers, such as St. Augustine, Hobbes, Kant, and Rousseau, and modern psychologists and anthropologists to discover ideas intended to explain war among states and related prescriptions for peace. Waltz influentially distinguishes among three "images" of the origins of war: those that blame individual leaders or human nature, those rooted in states' internal composition, and those concerning the structure of the international system. With a foreword by Stephen M. Walt on the legacy and continued relevance of Waltz's work, this anniversary edition brings new life to a perennial international relations classic.

Foreword to the 2018 Anniversary Edition, by Stephen M. WaltPreface to the 2001 EditionPreface to the 1959 Edition1. Introduction2. The First Image: International Conflict and Human Behavior3. Some Implications of the First Image: The Behavioral Sciences and the Reduction of Interstate Violence4. The Second Image: International Conflict and the Internal Structure of States5. Some Implications of the Second Image: International Socialism and the Coming of the First World War6. The Third Image: International Conflict and International Anarchy7. Some Implications of the Third Image: Examples from Economics, Politics, and History8. ConclusionBibliographyIndex