ABSTRACT
The realist vision of world order is based on a pessimistic view of human nature and on a pessimistic view of the political organization humans set up to organize their collective life. Organized human groups would tend to wage war against each other. That tendency would prevail even among advanced and complex human groups such as modern states. The status of the United States has survived its defeat in Vietnam, but the status of the United Kingdom has not outlasted its victory on the side of Allies in World War II. Massive, violent internal wars rarely erupt in wealthy states, but mostly in poorer ones. Many of these poorer states are at the same time weak states. Globalization has created new risks. Yet while risk-prone, the new world order still is functional as it responds to the requirements of worldwide interdependence.
