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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Page ix
... types of social theories in an attempt to understand international political change . Each type of social theory makes its own contribution . However , in this study we shall regard both as suggestive , rather than as methodologies to ...
... types of social theories in an attempt to understand international political change . Each type of social theory makes its own contribution . However , in this study we shall regard both as suggestive , rather than as methodologies to ...
Page x
... " some people have decided that their interests would be better served by a new type of institu- tional arrangement " ( Harsanyi , 1969 , p . 532 ) . It focuses on how technological , economic , and other changes affect the power X PREFACE.
... " some people have decided that their interests would be better served by a new type of institu- tional arrangement " ( Harsanyi , 1969 , p . 532 ) . It focuses on how technological , economic , and other changes affect the power X PREFACE.
Page xiii
... types of social theories and of the fact that even though each approach partially compensates for the weaknesses of the other , a combination of the two approaches does not provide a comprehensive explanation of political change nor ...
... types of social theories and of the fact that even though each approach partially compensates for the weaknesses of the other , a combination of the two approaches does not provide a comprehensive explanation of political change nor ...
Page 3
... type of phenomenon ( Hoffmann , 1960 , p . 40 ) . Thus , Kenneth Waltz , in his stimulating book , Man , the State and War , provided an explanation of war in general terms , but not the means for predicting any particular war ( 1959 ...
... type of phenomenon ( Hoffmann , 1960 , p . 40 ) . Thus , Kenneth Waltz , in his stimulating book , Man , the State and War , provided an explanation of war in general terms , but not the means for predicting any particular war ( 1959 ...
Page 9
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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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argued become behavior benefits bipolar Britain British Byzantine Empire capital capitalist century change the international change the system city-state conflict consequence contemporary world costs create decline decrease diminishing returns disequilibrium distribution of power domestic dominant power E. H. Carr economic growth economic surplus efficiency empire equilibrium Europe European existing expansion factors forces foreign policy fundamental gains global governance groups hegemonic imperial important incentive increase indifference curve individuals industrial interactions interdependence interests international political change international relations international system Kenneth Waltz market economy Marxist military power modern world monetarization nation-state nomic nuclear weapons Pax Britannica political organization Polybius premodern prestige production property rights redistribution relative Revolution rise seek to change social society Soviet Union status quo structure systems change technological tend territorial theory Thucydides tion tional system trade types United University Press Waltz wars wealth and power world market economy world politics