The State, War, and the State of War

The author surveys some of the foundations of state legitimacy and demonstrates why many weak states will be the locales of war in the future.

Kalevi J. Holsti (Author)

9780521571135, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 28 August 1996

272 pages, 5 tables
23.5 x 15.6 x 2.5 cm, 0.493 kg

"...This is an unusually coherent and well written expostion of a major current problem in world affairs, with a useful appendix on armed conflicts since 1945 and an exhaustive bibliography." Paul Rich, Journal of World History

War has traditionally been studied as a problem deriving from the relations between states. Strategic doctrines, arms control agreements, and the foundation of international organizations such as the United Nations are designed to prevent wars between states. Since 1945, however, the incidence of interstate war has actually been declining rapidly, while the incidence of internal wars has been increasing. The author argues that in order to understand this significant change in historical patterns, we should jettison many of the analytical devices derived from international relations studies and shift attention to the problems of 'weak' states, those states unable to sustain domestic legitimacy and peace. This book surveys some of the foundations of state legitimacy and demonstrates why many weak states will be the locales of war in the future. Finally, the author asks what the United Nations can do about the problems of weak and failed states.

Preface
1. Thinking about war in international politics
2. Wars of the third kind
3. The formation of states before 1945
4. The creation of states since 1945
5. The strength of states
6. The perils of the weak: the state-strength dilemma
7. Wars of the third kind and international politics
8. Analyzing an anomaly: war, peace, and the state in South America
9. International responses to the weak state: managing and resolving wars of the third kind
Appendix: major armed conflicts by region and type, 1945–1995
References
Index.

Subject Areas: International relations [JPS]