Revisionist State is a term from Power Transition Theory

Power Transition theory

The Power transition theory is a theory about the cyclical nature of war, in relation to the power in international relations.Created by A.F.K. Organski, and originally published in his textbook, World Politics , power transition theory today describes international politics as a hierarchy, with 4...

 within the wider field of International Relations

International relations

International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...

. It is used to describe states, that unlike Status Quo State

Status Quo State

Status Quo State is a term from Power Transition Theory within the wider field of International Relations. It is used to describe states, that unlike Revisionist States see the international system of states, international law and often even free market economics as integral aspects of the...

s, see an inherent injustice in the international system of states, within international law and sometimes also free market economics.

Generally, there is a direct correlation between a states hegemony

Hegemony

Hegemony is an indirect form of imperial dominance in which the hegemon rules sub-ordinate states by the implied means of power rather than direct military force. In Ancient Greece , hegemony denoted the politico–military dominance of a city-state over other city-states...

, both political and economic and its standing as either a Status Quo State or a Revisionist State. Powerful and influential nations in International Relations such as the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, Britain

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 and other nations like Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 who have benefited from western liberalism, are likely to fall under the category of Status Quo State

Status Quo State

Status Quo State is a term from Power Transition Theory within the wider field of International Relations. It is used to describe states, that unlike Revisionist States see the international system of states, international law and often even free market economics as integral aspects of the...

s while North Korea

North Korea

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

, Iran

Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...

and other nations dissatisfied with their place on the international spectrum are often considered Revisionist States.