Can Issue Linkage Improve Treaty Credibility

Buffer State Alliances as a “Hard Case

Bibliographic Data

ID6284256
AuthorsPaul Poast (0000-0001-8930-2758, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, corresponding author)
Year2013
Volume57
Issue5
Pages739-764
Publication date2013-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Conflict Resolution (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-0027 • E-ISSN: 1552-8766
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0022002712449323
OpenAlexW2165722346
LanguageEN
Citations received23
References cited60

Can issue linkage, the combining of multiple issues into a single agreement, enhance the credibility of an agreement? I use the alliance relations of buffer states (states located between two recently or currently warring rivals) to test the claim that issue linkage enhances compliance with treaty obligations. The alliance relations of buffer states create a “hard case” for treaty compliance because, by being prone to invasion and occupation, buffer states have difficulties inducing states to remain committed to an alliance agreement. Hence, if linkage provisions can enhance the credibility of alliance commitments for buffer states, then linkage provisions should improve treaty compliance in nearly any context. I find that buffer states in alliances with trade provisions experience fewer opportunistic violations of the alliance terms, avoid occupation and invasion at a higher rate, and experience fewer third-party attacks than buffer states in other alliance arrangements

Alliance · Business · Compliance (psychology · Context (archaeology · Credibility · Geography · International trade · Linkage (software · Political science · Treaty · Chemistry · International Development and Aid · International Relations and Foreign Policy · Law · Political Conflict and Governance · Psychology · Social Psychology

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