Balance of Power, Disarmament, Arms Control and World Order Flashcards
What is power preponderance?
War less likely when one state has a preponderance of power over its potential adversary. But will risk war if it has an even chance of winning.
What is power parity?
States are less likely to risk war is there is power parity but more inclined to war if they have a preponderance of power
What does the Concert of Europe and the Cold War have in common?
Both examples of prolonged and stable balance
What was the Concert of Europe?
Recognition of the special states of the ‘Great Powers’
Endures, with a few breaks, from 1815 to the outbreak of war in 1914.
The most enduring and successful experiment in international cooperation to date.
The Concert of Europe System established what two clear principles?
The balance of war was a vital stabilising mechanism that required management.
Necessity of consultation before action.
What was the problem with the Concert of Europe system?
It did not abolish war
Was more successful in imposing great power decrees on small states than regulating relations between the Great Powers.
What is Collective Security?
Firmly rooted in the idealist tradition sometimes also referred to as Neo-Wilsonian idealism.
Predicted on the idea that all states are equally interested in the prevention of war and conflict and will, given the appropriate institutional framework act collectively to prevent war or deter aggression.
According to the Just War tradition, war is justified if:
It is a matter of self defence
To recover stolen property
Punishment of a transgression
What is the Conduct of War in the Just War Tradition?
Innocents and non-combatants should not be attacked.
Non discriminatory weapons should not be used.
Military necessity to determine the level of force- it should be limited.
Proportionality to determine the form of violence.
Was WW2 a Just War?
Little or no difference in the level of violence used by both sides.
Civilians were the main victims
Victors justice
Broke all bounds of military necessity and proportionality
What is disarmament?
Seeks to reduce the level of force to self-limiting forces designed to defend the state rather than allow it to aggress.
3 examples of arms control before WW2
Disarmament Commission (League of Nations)
Kellog-Briand Pact 1928- Outlawed the use of war as an ‘instrument of state policy’.
Geneva Convention Disarmament Conference (1934)
Arms control in the nuclear age
Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
Cooperative Security
Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)
Mutual defensive Deterrance
Three Examples of Arms Control Agreements
1972: SALT 1 and ABM Treaty
1987: Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty
2015: Iran Nuclear Deal
What are the features of Arms Control?
An endorsement of the political and strategic status quo?
Does not create stability- represents a confirmation of an existing relationship.
Makes relationship more secure
Arms Control: A contribution to the maintenance of a world order based on ‘cooperative security’.
