Why do countries act the way they do? Do they go to war because their leaders are aggressive, or make peace because their people are kind? Structural realism offers a different answer. It suggests that the internal politics of a country—whether it's a democracy or a dictatorship—matter less than its position within the international system.

This theory, also known as neorealism, argues that the structure of the world stage is what shapes a country's choices. Think of it like a game of chess. It doesn't matter if the king piece is made of wood or ivory; its moves are dictated by the rules of the game and the positions of the other pieces on the board. In international relations, the