POL 3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Soft Power, Hard Power, Stopping Power
Document Summary
Started out intrastate war, between n and s vietnam. America entered, making it an interstate war. Preventive: us entered not because vietnam was going to attack the us, but because the us feared that if a communist regime was established, it would eventually undermine the us capitalist system. Preemptive: knowing attack is imminent, attack first. Problem of military culture, and cult of the offensive . Preventive: attack rising power to prevent disturbance to balance. You thought it would help balance power, but instead that state decides to engage in war. Because you"re in alliance with them, you could be dragged into it. You could also be drawn into war if you are targeted by your ally"s aggressor -- they"ll target you because you"re associated with their enemy. Dominant power uses war to prevent change in status quo. Revisionist power uses war to prevent new challenge by former status quo. Institutions are designed to foster interdependence and negotiations.
