History, Quantitative Analysis, and the Balance of Power

Bibliographic Data

ID6285886
AuthorsAlan Alexandroff (Center for International Studies Cornell University), Alan S Alexandroff (0000-0001-8411-6622, Centre d'études et de recherches internationales de Sciences Po), Richard Rosecrance (Center for International Studies Cornell University), Arthur A Stein (0000-0002-1955-2898, Yale University), Arthur Stein (0000-0002-3033-1201, Political Science Department Yale University)
Year1977
Volume21
Issue1
Pages35-56
Publication date1977-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Conflict Resolution (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-0027 • E-ISSN: 1552-8766
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/002200277702100103
OpenAlexW1560525910
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited22

It is perhaps a paradox that history, the discipline which is closest to the raw stuff of politics, economics, and international affairs, has produced so little in agreed conclusions about such matters. Historians have managed to disagree about issues of great importance even though the data at their fingertips would seem to provide a substantial foundation for accord. Certain scholars have declared that World War I occurred because of an imbalance in international power (Hinsley, 1962); others have declared that it resulted from too great a balance (Langer, 1953). The question of responsibility for the war is still unresolved: Albertini, Fischer, and his disciples see Germany at fault; Langer, Fay, Turner, Ritter, and others believe the blame must be more evenly distributed. The divergence over World War I is magnified when one approaches World War I1 and the Cold War. Here revisionist contend with traditional interpretations, and there is no end to the argument in sight. Paul Schroeder contends in his companion piece in this issue that the assumptions and methods of our work in the Situational Analysis Project are questionable and fail to meet historical requirements. We propose to show in rejoinder that the assumptions and methods we have used are fully cognizant of the difficulties he mentions, and indeed have bcen designed to overcome some of the

Argument (complex analysis · Balance (ability · Blame · Economics · International relations · Law and economics · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Positive economics · Power (physics · Sociology · Anthropology: Ethics, History, Culture · History · Law · Psychology · Qualitative Comparative Analysis Research

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