NATIONAL POWER AND INTERNATIONAL VIOLENCE: A MODEL OF NATIONS AND THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM

This research investigates the problem of international violence, which is two-fold in nature: it causes needless death and it imposes an opportunity cost on future generations. It is my assertion that changes in national power are the major cause for international violence. The distinctive character of the problem is that the impact of international violence in the contemporary era (a period beginning around 1870 and ending around the year 2000) is much greater than that of earlier historical eras. The problem of international violence in the contemporary era differs from international violence in earlier eras for two reasons. First, it differs because the capability for international violence has grown, thereby increasing the number of deaths that result. Second, it differs because the degree of interdependence in the international system has also grown, thereby magnifying the participation in international violence. Three key questions provide the basis for exploring the problem of international violence: (1) What are the patterns of international violence? (2) Why does international violence occur? (3) How can we change patterns of international violence?; Answering these questions consitutes three separate but related research tasks: undertaking an in-depth study of the patterns of international violence and its relation to changes in national power; building a model of the international system (one based on attributes of national power) with international violence as one element; and, carrying out a search for solutions to the problem of international violence using this model. The results of the research are also three-fold. First, it is found that there is an empirical relationship between changes in national power and international violence. Second, it is found that a model of the international system can be used to represent the theoretical relationship between changes in national power and international violence. Third, it is found that in the search for solutions to the problem current policies (exemplified by the "liberal" and "conservative" viewpoints) offer little hope for significantly reducing international violence.