elative gains emphasize states’ concern with their advantage compared to others rather than absolute benefits. This perspective explains why states may resist cooperation if they perceive others gain more, even at mutual benefit. In international relations theory, this distinction underlies a key divide between neoliberal institutionalism and neorealism. Neoliberal institutionalism assumes states prioritize absolute gains and view cooperation favorably if it increases their own benefits, regardless of others’ outcomes. Conversely, neorealism argues that states prioritize relative gains due to the anarchic system, viewing others’ gains as potential losses that threaten their security, thereby complicating cooperation. These contrasting assumptions about state preferences lead to fundamentally different expectations about conflict and cooperation, posing challenges for unifying these theories within a single analytical framework. Recent scholarship suggests integrating aspects of both approaches by considering how changes in structural constraints and state preferences jointly influence state behavior and the feasibility of cooperation.

• Hurrell, A. (2013). Relative and absolute gains. In International relations and the environment (pp. 115–134). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2790-9_7
• The Kootneeti. (2022, September 20). Relative and absolute gains in international relations. https://thekootneeti.in/2022/09/20/relative-and-absolute-gains-in-international-relations/