War and Change in World PoliticsWar and Change in World Politics introduces the reader to an important new theory of international political change. Arguing that the fundamental nature of international relations has not changed over the millennia, Professor Gilpin uses history, sociology, and economic theory to identify the forces causing change in the world order. The discussion focuses on the differential growth of power in the international system and the result of this unevenness. A shift in the balance of power - economic or military - weakens the foundations of the existing system, because those gaining power see the increasing benefits and the decreasing cost of changing the system. The result, maintains Gilpin, is that actors seek to alter the system through territorial, political, or economic expansion until the marginal costs of continuing change are greater than the marginal benefits. When states develop the power to change the system according to their interests they will strive to do so- either by increasing economic efficiency and maximizing mutual gain, or by redistributing wealth and power in their own favour. |
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Contents
The Nature of International Political Change | 9 |
Stability and Change | 50 |
Growth and Expansion | 106 |
Equilibrium and Decline | 156 |
Hegemonic War and International Change | 186 |
Change and Continuity in World Politics | 211 |
Change and War in the Contemporary World | 231 |
| 245 | |
| 260 | |
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Common terms and phrases
advantage argued attempt balance become behavior benefits Britain British capital cause century challenge city-state consequence contemporary continue costs course create decline decrease demands determine distribution domestic dominant economic growth effect efficiency empire Europe European eventually example existing expansion fact factors forces foreign frequently function fundamental further gains global governance groups hegemonic imperial important incentive increase individuals industrial influence innovation interests international political change international relations international system lead less limited major Marxism means military nation-state nature nuclear objectives organization particular peace political change position Press prestige principal problem production profitable protection reason relative returns rise rules scale seek significant social society Soviet structure struggle techniques technological tend territorial theory tion tional trade types United University wars wealth weapons York
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Bibliographic information
| Title | War and Change in World Politics |
| Author | Robert Gilpin |
| Edition | illustrated, reprint, revised |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press, 1981 |
| ISBN | 0521273765, 9780521273763 |
| Length | 272 pages |
| Subjects | › › Political Science / International Relations / General |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |