Anticipating War? War Preparations and the Steps-to-War Thesis

Content Provider	Scilit
Author	Sample, Susan G.
Copyright Year	2016
Description	This study addresses what it means, theoretically and diplomatically, to argue that states anticipate war. The ‘steps-to-war’ thesis contends that territorial disputes are high salience issues, but war is relatively unlikely unless state policies, such as arms buildups, directly increase the probability of war. This framework contrasts with the argument that these policies simply reflect underlying conflict, seen as the primary cause of both policies and war. The historical analysis here indicates that states do ‘anticipate’ war, but, at least in the case of wars related to ongoing territorial conflicts, it is theoretically trivial: states anticipate war, engaging in final preparations after their relations have deteriorated over time, and the process occurs in ways predicted by the steps-to-war theory.
Related Links	https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/197C2B2FB638BDE7D37221811C65DFB9/S000712341500068Xa.pdf/div-class-title-anticipating-war-war-preparations-and-the-steps-to-war-thesis-div.pdf
Ending Page	511
Page Count	23
Starting Page	489
ISSN	00071234
e-ISSN	14692112
DOI	10.1017/s000712341500068x
Journal	British Journal of Political Science
Issue Number	2
Volume Number	48
Language	English
Publisher	Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Publisher Date	2018-04-01
Access Restriction	Open
Subject Keyword	British Journal of Political Science Political Science States Anticipate War
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Sociology and Political Science Political Science and International Relations