The first fruit of this imagination—and the first lesson of the social science that embodies it—is the idea that the individual can understand his own experience and gauge his own fate only by locating himself within his period, that he can know his own chances in life only by becoming aware of those of all individuals in his circumstances.
The anarchic nature of the international system means that states must rely on self-help to ensure their survival.
A well-designed system is one that can evolve over time without requiring significant rework.