Escalation of Great Power Disputes: Deterrence Versus Structural Realism, 1816-1984

The purpose of this study was to test the relative explanatory power of two theoretical approaches--deterrence theory and structural realism--in predicting dispute escalation among "Great Powers" from 1816 to 1984. The Great Powers during this time period are identified as Great Britain, France, Russia/Soviet Union, Austria-Hungary, Prussia/Germany, Italy, the United States, Japan, and China. A Great Power deterrence encounter is defined as the explicit verbal threat of force or the movement and buildup of military forces in preparation for armed conflict by a challenging Great Power and a counterthreat by the defending Great Power. Variables measure dispute escalation, system uncertainty, risk propensity, balance of conventional military capabilities of challenger and defender, defender's possession of second-strike nuclear capability, interests at stake for challenger and defender, past behavior of challenger and defender, and current dispute involvement of challenger and defender. Part 2, Deterrence Variables Data, contains the complete set of variables, and Part 1, Deterrence Final Equation Data, is a subset of Part 2.