Mearsheimer justifies the reasons for Modern European war by the existence and disposition of poles of power, which affect the determination of states to engage in hostilities. He considers the multipolar system the most conducive to rivalry because states’ authority is not distributed evenly (Mearsheimer, 2014). Furthermore, it is most predisposed to instability, as relations between countries change from hostile to sociable and vice versa. Such frequent transformations contribute to the constant emergence of wars. Moreover, they prevent a rational assessment of the capabilities and intentions of adversaries.
An unbalanced multipolarity is the most unbalanced form because it is characterized by a hegemon pursuing as much power as feasible. Other states are fearful of such urges, and therefore their policies can be more aggressive. Mearsheimer (2014) argues that wars in modern Europe under a bipolar order occurred with minimal frequency. This system is the most steady because there is a balance between the countries, contributing to their mutual understanding.
However, Mearsheimer’s concept cannot be applied nowadays because it is challenging to define the current world order. It is evident that multipolarity prevails and establishes the course of action. Still, it is closely intertwined with bipolarity, which indicates that the modern world is a unique system with dissimilar approaches and impacts. This connection distinguishes the current state of the world structure from the previous one. Therefore, one cannot associate the reasons for military conflicts solely with a specific system.
Mearsheimer’s ideas regarding the grounds for wars are rational and reasonable. Nevertheless, the author doubts them because of the nuclear weapon, which existed when Europe was bipolar (Mearsheimer, 2014). It was not present in multipolar order, and therefore the arguments are not valid as the atomic weapon is one of the world’s most significant forces. Mearsheimer (2014) suggested that it, not the system, could be the foremost reason for the absence of war in bipolar Europe between 1990 and 1945. The balance of power cannot affect the outbreak of war as much as the fear of nuclear annihilation.