Rational Analysis of Grand Strategy
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 23612833 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Charles L Glaser (George Washington University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Pages | 107-122 |
| Publication date | 2021-09-08 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | CHAPTER |
| Venue | Oxford Handbook of Grand Strategy (SOURCE_BOOK) |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198840299.013.6 |
| OpenAlex | W3201248315 |
| ISBN | 9780198840299 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 22 |
This chapter describes the basic structure of a rational analysis of grand strategy. Rational analysis is an approach, not a school or a theory. It is the approach that is required by and supports sound policy analysis; it is not controversial. Nevertheless, appreciating the structure and requirements of a rational analysis can provide guidance for performing high-quality analysis and for critiquing ongoing debates over grand strategy. All of the major schools of grand strategy in the US debate are built on a rational analysis. The chapter first addresses the terms “grand strategy” and “rational.” It then describes the basic components of a rational grand-strategic analysis: state’s interests (including the distinction between fundamental interests and “derivative interests”), the international environment, theories of state interaction, the options available to a state, the comparison of these options, and a conclusion about which grand strategy will best serve a state’s interests. The final section brief highlights the analytic value of understanding the structure and requirements of rational analyses of grand strategy.
Archaeology · Grand strategy · Computer Science · History · International Relations and Foreign Policy
The sources of military doctrine
The Limits of Grand Strategy
Is Grand Strategy an Illusion?
The Evolution of Modern Grand Strategic Thought
Trust and Mistrust in International Relations
Restraint
Strategic Choice and International Relations
Liberal Leviathan
Fighting for Status
Would China Go Nuclear? Assessing the Risk of Chinese Nuclear Escalation in a Conventional War with the United States
Competing Visions for U.S. Grand Strategy
A Defensible Defense
What is the Offense-Defense Balance and Can We Measure it
Come Home, America
Should the United States Reject MAD? Damage Limitation and U.S. Nuclear Strategy toward China
In the Shadow of Power
America Abroad
Myths of Empire
The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Cooperation under the Security Dilemma
The Security Dilemma Revisited
Beyond the Buzzword
| Highly cited | No |
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