Lecture 7: War and the International System

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Lecture 7 War and the International System

• The attributes of the international system that
  are most often thought to affect its
  war-proneness concern the way power is
  distributed within the system.
• In this regard, we may distinguish between five
  perspectives
• The Balance of Power perspective
• The Multipolarity perspective (Deutsch and
  Singer).
• The Bipolarity perspective (Kenneth Waltz)
• The Collective Security perspective
• The unipolarity perspective (a separate lecture).
• Balance of Power
• Principles No nation or group of nations should
  acquire power sufficient to
  threaten the security of others.
• This is most effectively achieved by a fluid
  system of alliances
• Critique
• Does it work?
• Is it relevant?

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• Multipolarity
• Allows flexible interaction opportunities,
  therefore cross-cutting interests.
• Discourages focus of too many resources on any
  given axis of conflict.
• Critique Need not decrease the incidence of
  conflict
• Bipolarity
• Encourages a stable structure of power
• Deters conflict by virtue of probable costs
• The Cold War model
• Critique Implies very deadly conflict, if
  deterrence fails
• Power Transition
• Changes, not levels, of power
• Threat of war greatest just before transition
  point
• Collective Security
• Principle A preponderance of power by the
  members of the system deters aggression.
• Critique Can the system work?