| Views of Unipolarity | ||||
| Waltz | Wohlforth | Ikenberry | Risse | |
| Theoretical viewpoint | Realism | Realism | Liberalism | Constructivism |
| Key causal mechanism | balancing | relative power | institutional dynamics | collective identities |
| Is unipolarity stable? | No | Yes | Yes, but... | Yes |
| Are states balancing ? | Yes | No. Buck-passing | No. Binding | No. Binding |
| Do institutions matter? | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Does liberal democracy matter? | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Source of conflicts | Rising powers | Regional rivalries | Weakened inst.? | Outside sec. community |