Abstract
This paper proposes a practitioner-oriented analytical framework for understanding state behavior in contemporary international politics. Traditional rational actor models, while useful, fail to adequately explain the dynamics of 21st-century authoritarian regimes where leader psychology and regime survival logic often override systemic calculations.
Drawing on classical realism, political psychology, and institutional analysis, the author develops a three-type classification of international political actors: (1) Rational Actor states characterized by cost-benefit calculation and institutional checks; (2) System Survival Actor states that prioritize regime maintenance through calculated irrationality; and (3) Special Authoritarian (Leader-Centric) states where national policy is largely subordinated to the personal psychology and impulses of the supreme leader.
The model emphasizes the fluid and hybrid nature of these types, offering practical response strategies for each, This framework aims to reduce analytical uncertainty and provide actionable guidance for diplomats, policymakers, and analysts operating in an era of renewed great-power competition and personalist authoritarianism.
