Realist scholars share some assumptions about the role of the state in the present state system. For one thing, there is no a higher authority above and beyond sovereign nation-states in the international system. As such, in the absence of a government at the international level, the system has an anarchic nature. The realistic notion of power embodies proficiencies not only in political and economic terms but also in military terms. In that respect, realists argue that states consolidate their power to secure and guarantee their selfpreservation, which is their primary concern. This realist line of reasoning also points to the manners in which states utilize their power in the multistate international system. It is in states’ ultimate benefit that their status quo is maintained against any revisionist states. For this reason, the state may intentionally use power to suppress the motives of other states and, thus, create a constant power struggle and hostility in international affairs.