Synopsis International politics, like all politics, is a struggle for power. Whatever the ultimate aims of international politics, power is always the immediate aim. Statesmen and peoples may ultimately seek freedom, security, prosperity, or power it. They may define their goals in terms of a religious, philosophic, economic, or social ideal.

Theories of international politics deal with events at both the sub-and supra-national levels. Constructivism is one of the basic theories of international politics. Its central tenet is that most or even all important elements of international politics are the product of specific social circumstances and historical processes, rather than being inevitable consequences of the nature of humans or the nature of politics.