Unlike a received opinion, Karl Deutsch?s contribution to the theory of international relations resides less in his cybernetic method and more in the substance of his thinking, as summarized by the notion of a pluralist security community. By stating that peace can be achieved through reciprocal, pacific waiting and the shared sense of community resulting from the increase in communication, this concept constitutes not only a challenge to realism, but also prepares the way for the notions of John Burton?s world society, Bruce Russett?s democratic peace, and Alexander Wendt?s Kantian anarchy.