Offensive realism is a structural theory belonging to the neorealist school of thought first postulated by
John Mearsheimer that holds the
anarchic nature of the international system is responsible for aggressive state behaviour in international politics. It fundamentally differs from
defensive realism, as originally put forward by
Kenneth Waltz, by depicting great powers as power-maximizing revisionists privileging
buck-passing over
balancing strategies in their ultimate aim to dominate the international system. The theory brings important alternative contributions for the study and understanding of
international relations but remains nonetheless the subject of criticism.