http://gametheory101.com/courses/international-relations-101/ When one state meddles in another state's internal affairs, who punishes the first state? In other words, who is sovereign over the sovereign? The best answer: no one. International relations lives in anarchy, more closely resembling an area ruled by mafia dons than a strong local police force. However, anarchy does not imply chaos. Anarchy permits anything to happen. Thus, the challenge for us as students of international relations is to be able to predict and explain phenomenon despite the wide-open possibilities.