ABSTRACT
Let us take first the acceptance as given of an anarchical political system composed of individual states. It follows from this that realist writers be come rather incoherent when they make moral judgements or advocate moral prescriptions for the world. They cannot easily defend the anarchical system as an ideal one; they accept it faute de mieux. The best they can usually suggest as an improvement on the present system is a more stable balance of power,2 or a better method of conflict resolution/ or the pursuit by leading states of enlightened self-interest.4
