Scholars of international politics regard the relative balance of forces as the crucial controlling variable. Under the shadow of thermonuclear weapons, forces-in-being came to matter more than intrinsic war potential. But like every other measure, the relative balance hides as much as it reveals. We get no sense of the escalation cycle of either great power.
The U.S. Escalation Cycle, 1960-2018
The U.S. Escalation Cycle, 1960-2018
The U.S. Escalation Cycle, 1960-2018
Scholars of international politics regard the relative balance of forces as the crucial controlling variable. Under the shadow of thermonuclear weapons, forces-in-being came to matter more than intrinsic war potential. But like every other measure, the relative balance hides as much as it reveals. We get no sense of the escalation cycle of either great power.