The Anarchical Society

The Anarchical Society, by political theorist Hedley Bull, describes the international system as an order without a central authority, like a global society of independent nations. Despite the lack of a world government, countries coexist through shared norms, laws, and diplomatic practices that maintain stability and manage conflicts. The concept emphasizes that international relations are guided more by mutual understanding, diplomacy, and rules than by hierarchical control, shaping how nations interact, cooperate, and resolve disputes in an anarchical, yet organized, global environment.