Reconfiguring The Arms Race-War Debate

Paul F. Diehl and Mark J.C. Crescenzi
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Mark J.C. Crescenzi: Department of Political Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Journal of Peace Research, 1998, vol. 35, issue 1, 111-118

Abstract: A recent article by Susan Sample purports to resolve a debate that has generated a great deal of scholarly attention over the past two decades, whether arms races are associated with the escalation of militarized disputes to war. In response, we outline a research agenda designed to reconfigure the arms race-war debate rather than to perpetuate the controversy. We argue for better theoretical specification of the arms race-war relationship, and for empirical tests to sort out whether this relationship is direct, indirect, or spurious. We also advocate some methodological changes including more longitudinal studies, a broader spatial domain to include minor powers, less reliance on military expenditure data, and multivariate (rather than bivariate) tests of the arms race-war relationship.

Date: 1998
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:joupea:v:35:y:1998:i:1:p:111-118

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