Origins and antecedents
Rome, Christian Empire - Pax Romana, the Roman Peace - regime of public order
International political transactions exhibit patterns of various kinds.
International equilibrium, balance of power, bipolarisation, polycentreism

Historic European states system
Peace of Westphalia 1648
Equipoise
The essence of power is the ability to exercise compelling pressure, irrespective of its reasonableness
The exercise of power may be accidentally tempered with use of reason
Each group considers itself not as a means to a common end but as an end in itself
At least for purposes of self-preservation, any measure required to achieve the object is considered to be justified
Law, morality, and institutions are limited to relatively subordinate positions.
Capacity to impose one;s will on others by reliance on effective sanctions in case of non-compliance,
In a system of power and politics, the permanent interests of powers, and especially great powers are remarkably stable

Erasmus- The whole proceedings of the world were but a scene of continuous folly
Liberal democracy had no severe competition
Arguments assure that west is the progenitor of moral and political truths

Progress in human history can be measured by elimination of global conflict
Anarchical nature of the international system means states are trapped in a struggle for power and security