Chaper 3 - Why are there wars? Flashcards
War
An event involving organized use of military force by at least two parties that reaches a minimum threshold of severity (1000 battle deaths)
Security dilemma
A dilemma that arises when efforts that states make to defend themselves cause other states to feel less secure.
Crisis bargaining
A bargaining interaction in which at least one actor threatens to use force in the event that its demands are not met
Coercive diplomacy
Use of threats to influence the outcome of a bargaining interaction
Bargaining range
Set of deals that both parties in a bargaining interaction prefer to the reversion outcome.
Compellence
Efforts to change the status quo through threat of force
Deterrence
Effort to preserve the status quo through the threat of force.
Resolve
The willingness of an actor to endure costs in order to acquire goods
Risk-return trade-off
Trade-off between trying to get a goo deal and trying to minimize the possibility of war.
Brinksmanship
A strategy in which adversaries take actions that increase the risk of accidental war, with the hope that the others will “blink” first and make concessions.
Tying hands
Another way in which states can send signals that their threats are credible
Audience cost
Negative repercussions for failing to follow through on a threat or to honor a commitment.
Paying for power
Taking costly steps to increase their capabilities
Preventive war
A war fought with the intention of preventing an adversary of becoming stronger in the future.
First strike advantage
The situation that arises when military technology, military strategies and geography give a significant advantage to whichever state attacks first.
Preemptive war
A war fought with the anticipation that an attack by the other side is imminent (ready to take place).
How can we make wars less likely?
Raising the cost of wars
Increasing transparency
Providing outside enforcement of commitments
Dividing indivisible goods
Why not cooperation?
Commitment problems
Indivisibility
Lack of information
State capacity
Combination of coercive and infrastructural power
Types of war
- Insurgencies
- Conventional
- Symmetric nonconventional
Non-military interventions
- Election monitoring
- Covert operations
- Soft power
- Sanctions, aid
