The Tragedy of Great Power Politics is a book by the American scholar John Mearsheimer on the subject of international relations theory. In the book, Mearsheimer lays out the theory of offensive realism, showing its key assumptions, evolution from early realist theory, and providing some predictions for the future. Many of the predictions of the book are considered somewhat pessimistic, as Mearsheimer sees a world where great power conflict will never end. The book was published by W.W. Norton & Company in 2001.