Relative Capability, Rivalry and the Escalation of Militarized Interstate Disputes, 1816-1992

Book excerpt: This study has a duel purpose, partly theoretical and partly practical. Theoretically, I am interested in seeing how the development and diffusion of weapons technologies affect the course of interstate rivalry, specifically the escalation of Militarized Interstate Disputes (MIDs). A picture is merging of the process by which nations go from being peaceful rivals to armed combatants. Through this investigation, I hope to add to that picture. Practically, I mean to address the questions of whether arms can be used to manage conflicts, and whether weapons development and acquisition is always provocative or have no effect at all. If it is determined that the latter is the case, perhaps "arms control" as an approach to political reconciliation is misguided policy. The fundamental question here is whether arms improvements have affected the behavior of the nations involved in a rivalry. Rivalries are long-term competitive interactions between members of the international system. Rivalries are an ancient manifestation of international conflict, and weapons development a key feature of rivalries.