Countries as Agents in a Global-Scale Computational Model

Harold J. Walbert (), James Caton and Julia R. Norgaard ()
Additional contact information
Harold J. Walbert: https://cos.gmu.edu/cds/people/students/harold-walbert/
Julia R. Norgaard: http://www.juliarnorgaard.com

Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, 2018, vol. 21, issue 3, 4

Abstract: Our agent-based model examines the ramifications of formal defense agreements between countries. Our model builds on previous work and creates an empirically based version of a tribute model in which actors within existing real-world networks demand tribute from one another. If the threatened actor does not pay the tribute, the aggressing actor will engage in a decision to start a war. Tribute and war payments are based on a measure of the country's wealth. We utilize the Correlates of War dataset to provide us with worldwide historical defense alliance information. Using these networks as our initial conditions, we run the model forward from four prominent historical years and simulate the interactions that take place as well as the changes in overall wealth. Agents in the model employ a cost benefit analysis in their decision of whether or not to go to war. This model provides results that are in qualitative agreement with historical emergent macro outcomes seen over time.

Keywords: Agent Based Modeling; Conflict Resolution; Tribute; Diplomacy; War; Economic Analysis of Conflict (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-06-30
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.jasss.org/21/3/4/4.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:jas:jasssj:2016-102-2

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation from Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Francesco Renzini ().