Origins of the Great 20th Century Conflicts

1
Origins of the Great 20th Century Conflicts

• Chapter 2

2
International Political System

• Neighboring states in the system
• - more points of contact interest
• - states tend to worry more about neighbor than
  a distant relative
• - US WWII
• states seek protection against an aggressive
  neighbor
• - the enemy of my enemy is my friend
• - checkerboard pattern of alliances

3
International Political System

• Interdependence stabilizes internatl system
• conflicts revolutions can threaten to
  destablize internatl system
• - Bolshevik Revolution (1917)

4
Kenneth Waltz Man, the State, and War

• Analysis of the causations of War- 3 levels
• Individuals
• - Hitler
• - Cuban Missile Crisis
• - 1991 Gulf War
• - 2003 Iraq War
• The human nature explanation

5
Causes of War

• 2) States
• aggressive governments
• aggressive nonstate actors

6
Causes of War

• 3) The International System
• - structure varies (distribution of power)
• - Unipolar- (hegemony power)
• - erode as states desire independence
• - challenged by another
• - bipolar- global war is a possibility
• - multipolar- alliances / limited conflicts

7
3 strands of liberal thinking

• Economic
• - trade buildup is more important than
  military buildup
• - strong trade relations make war less
  important
• Social
• - person to person contact will promote
  culture understanding- students, tourism
• - makes others seem less foreign

8
3 strands of liberal thinking (continue)

• 3) Political
• - strong communications
• - providing information expectations
• - crisis consultant