The Man, the State, and War

The Man, the State, and War is a conceptual framework by philosopher Kenneth Waltz that analyzes the origins of war. "The Man" refers to human nature—our tendencies toward violence and conflict. "The State" represents political organizations that can foster peace or war, depending on their structure. "War" is the outcome resulting from interactions between human nature and state organization. Waltz argues that understanding war requires examining these three levels, seeing how individual instincts, state systems, and their interactions influence the likelihood of conflict. The book emphasizes that international stability depends on balancing these factors.