Defensive Realism
The security dilemma is the core assumption of defensive realism. According to Waltz because the world does not have a common government (it is “anarchic”), survival is the main motive of states. States are distrustful of other states’ intentions and as a consequence always try to maximize their own security; this results in the situation of the security dilemma. Offense-defense theory of defensive realism is a potential theory to explain the level of threat arising from the security dilemma. Defensive realists often regard the success of the USA in WWI as being a result of the defensive approach taken by the US. Had the US taken an offensive stance, defensive realists argue that the US would not have been secure. The conclusion from defensive realism is that in some circumstances states can escape the security dilemma.
Read more about this topic: Security Dilemma
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