war Flashcards
war
organized use of military force by at least two parties that satisfies a minimum severity threshold
uses of force vs. war
blockade, mobilization, foreign deployments
COW
correlates of war project; war = at least 1,000 battle deaths; doesn’t include civilians (genocide, disease, famine) organized use of force
3 ways to think about puzzle of war
- case study 2. math 3. formal way
why is war a policy option
war used to defend perimeters internally, war used externally; protect and extend sovereignty domestically, requires protecting and extending sovereignty externally
case study war example
Finland and Russia Winter war 1939: difference between two sides came down to geography, concerned that if Finland was taken over could use as a launching point to threaten Russia, at first attempt to make a deal - Soviet Union decided to take land; both sides came to exhaustion, SU got more than initially bargained for - at same point, showed Nazi Germany SU isn’t strong
math
lottery when it comes to cost and outcome; never 100% guarantee in winning, can never know how many troops going to lose before going to war
formal way
war is outside option, cutting off any further discussion
normal politics
state doesn’t threaten leads to status quo/regular bargaining
crisis bargaining
state A threaten state B; state B given option stand firm or concede; force is in play - shadow of war; vow to use force if a demand is not met
state B concede or stand firm
concede leads to concession; stand firm - state A given choice whether to use force (war) or doesn’t use force (back down)
4 results of bargaining
A) status quo/regular bargaining B) concession C) back down D) war
greater costs of war =
greater range of bargains A would prefer to going to war;
bargaining range
expected value of war and the costs of war to both sides
compulsory power
ability of one actor to compel another to act in certain ways (large economies, past investments in military forces, large stockpiles of nuclear weapons give political advantages)
reversion outcome
no bargain achieved, same as status quo sometimes
bargaining power
those actors who would be most satisfied with/most willing to endure reversion outcome
example: economic sanctions, war, U.S. less willing to go along with other countries because expected costs of global climate change to U.S. are lower - geography and economic resources make US better equipped to weather the effects, lower vulnerability = shifts burden to other countries
deterrence
prevent something from happening in the future with force “don’t do this or else”
mathematical bargaining model of war
expectation: probability of winning * value of winning
closer to reality: probability of winning * value of winning - cost
comparison: value (War) > value (concede)
credibility
threat that target believes will be carried out; willing to fight long enough
tying hands, audience costs
taking clear, public statements and actions; puts reputation and country on the line, makes it costly to retreat position, risks questioning reputation of future threats; could use retreat against in future elections
audience costs: negative repercussion that arise if a leader does not follow through on a threat - allies come to doubt trustworthiness of country’s threats
diversionary war
external conflict used to salve domestic problems
two benefits to rally around the flag
- mass appeal (boost in presidential popularity)
- legislative honeymoon: presidents in context of rally have more success getting bills through congress in month after using force
social identity theory
groups identity does not form in isolation: given meaning/structure through interaction with other groups; in-group cohesion increases when group is faced with conflict with out-group