---
product_id: 180965268
title: "The Great Delusion: Liberal Dreams and International Realities (Henry L. Stimson Letures)"
price: "€ 19.56"
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url: https://www.desertcart.ie/products/180965268-the-great-delusion-liberal-dreams-and-international-realities-henry-l
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---

# The Great Delusion: Liberal Dreams and International Realities (Henry L. Stimson Letures)

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The Great Delusion: Liberal Dreams and International Realities (Henry L. Stimson Letures) [Mearsheimer, John J.] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Great Delusion: Liberal Dreams and International Realities (Henry L. Stimson Letures)

Review: Excellent work International Relations - Reading through halfway, I find this book on international relations compelling and easily understandable. It compares liberalism to realism and nationalism, and the means to adapt accordingly.
Review: Amazing achievement - This book was an amazing read for many reasons, three of which I will detail. First, it nicely summarized the competing theories of international relations. It's impossible to know what one is for or against, or how one's views fare against competing theories, if he doesn't know the content and underlying assumptions of the major theories. I learned a lot about the competing theories of international relations from this book. Second, Mr. Mearsheimer made a strong case for his position: namely, that liberal internationalism has failed (and is bound to fail) and that realism provides a better template for international relations that will have better results. Third, Mr. Mearsheimer's writing is clean, clear, and crisp. Reading this tome was not only educational, but enjoyable. While I did not agree with everything in the book (I agreed with much of it), I walked away much more educated on international relations and, in particular, what a "realist" approach looks like. This book will be a starting point on the subject and an important work for years to come. If I could give it 6 stars, I would!

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #60,541 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #58 in Democracy (Books) #145 in Political Philosophy (Books) #170 in History & Theory of Politics |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 596 Reviews |

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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent work International Relations
*by R***I on October 16, 2025*

Reading through halfway, I find this book on international relations compelling and easily understandable. It compares liberalism to realism and nationalism, and the means to adapt accordingly.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazing achievement
*by M***R on October 21, 2018*

This book was an amazing read for many reasons, three of which I will detail. First, it nicely summarized the competing theories of international relations. It's impossible to know what one is for or against, or how one's views fare against competing theories, if he doesn't know the content and underlying assumptions of the major theories. I learned a lot about the competing theories of international relations from this book. Second, Mr. Mearsheimer made a strong case for his position: namely, that liberal internationalism has failed (and is bound to fail) and that realism provides a better template for international relations that will have better results. Third, Mr. Mearsheimer's writing is clean, clear, and crisp. Reading this tome was not only educational, but enjoyable. While I did not agree with everything in the book (I agreed with much of it), I walked away much more educated on international relations and, in particular, what a "realist" approach looks like. This book will be a starting point on the subject and an important work for years to come. If I could give it 6 stars, I would!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Recommended Reading for Students of Foreign Policy and International Relations
*by T***5 on September 15, 2020*

If you are a practitioner of public policy and diplomacy, this book is worth reading. Some may find the pages provocative or controversial, but Mearsheimer provides convincing and thought-provoking narrative on why foreign policy based on progressive ideals face significant challenges, particularly when working with or against illiberal states. Whether you agree or disagree with his premise, I recommend taking time to study this book to understand this perspective and help propel foreign policy moving forward. Mearsheimer makes clear that we in the U.S. can be our own worst enemy because of our idealism and desire to improve the human condition through ideals centered on individual rights. This is deeply ingrained in our psyche and has led to our relative success as a nation-state. It seems natural then, that we would want to export our model of governance to others so they may share in our prosperity and, to simplify, make the World a better place for all of us. This belief has driven the U.S. to pursue policies from a liberal hegemonic standpoint that has led, unfortunately, to more involvement of the U.S. in military conflict. While the U.S. is not necessarily alone in this foreign policy perspective, shared to some degree with fellow Western liberal democracies, our history with individual rights differs from some of our European partners who went through a relatively long imperialist phase that colors their traditions and beliefs to some extent. Mearsheimer's early chapters cover this somewhat to set the stage for his views on exporting liberal ideals. With the rise of China as a Great Power competitor, Mearsheimer believes we should reassess and recalibrate our approach to avoid the pitfalls of trying to force liberalist ideals on nationalist and realist schools of thought that are likelier to have larger influence on human behavior in most countries. Perhaps this is a sensible thing to do as the competition for influence increases. Mearsheimer warns, however, that should the U.S. find itself as a lone superpower again in the future, liberal hegemony is bound to failure and cautions a return to this strategy.

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*Last updated: 2026-02-23*