Issue indivisibility and time horizons as rationalist explanations for war /
TOFT Monica Duffy
Issue indivisibility and time horizons as rationalist explanations for war / Monica Duffy Toft - 2006
Rational actors involved in disputes will normally be able to find a resolution short of violence that benefits both parties. Why then does war occur in some circumstances but not in others? Rationalist international relations theory suggests there are several reasons that prevent peaceful outcomes. This paper considers two that have been less widely studied: indivisibility and time horizons. The former covers things that are considered by at least one of the parties to be indivisible such as the office of king or a geographical entity. Time horizons relates to differing perceptions of the timescale over which benefits will be considered. Uses Russia's wars with Chechnya to illustrate these ideas. Also includes a table of 133 civil wars between 1940 and 2000.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS--BARGAINING THEORY
RATIONALIST THEORY
CAUSES OF WAR
Issue indivisibility and time horizons as rationalist explanations for war / Monica Duffy Toft - 2006
Rational actors involved in disputes will normally be able to find a resolution short of violence that benefits both parties. Why then does war occur in some circumstances but not in others? Rationalist international relations theory suggests there are several reasons that prevent peaceful outcomes. This paper considers two that have been less widely studied: indivisibility and time horizons. The former covers things that are considered by at least one of the parties to be indivisible such as the office of king or a geographical entity. Time horizons relates to differing perceptions of the timescale over which benefits will be considered. Uses Russia's wars with Chechnya to illustrate these ideas. Also includes a table of 133 civil wars between 1940 and 2000.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS--BARGAINING THEORY
RATIONALIST THEORY
CAUSES OF WAR