ABSTRACT
In the field of international relations (IR), the concept of power is closely
associated with the theory of realism. Realists, of course, do not monopolise
the study of power, and the most recent evidence of this is the lively discus-
sion of the concept of ‘soft power’. Although all of the various schools of IR
theory have something to say about the nature and role of power, it is the
highly influential realist school that has been most closely identified with
the study of power. Realists throughout the ages have argued that power is
the decisive determinant in the relations among separate political communities and of crucial importance to understanding the dynamics of war and
peace. Indeed, as witnessed by the actions of the USA in Iraq, Thucydides’
ancient dictum that the strong do what they want and the weak endure the
consequences is as relevant today as it was when he described Athens’ beha-
viour towards the tiny island of Melos in 400 BCE. For all realists, John
Mearsheimer writes, ‘calculations about power lie at the heart of how states
think about the world around them’ (Mearsheimer 2001: 12).
