International Relations Precis

Running Head : POWER , ASYMMETRIC MOTIVATION , AND COSTS : A PRYCIS

Power , Asymmetric Motivation , and Costs : A Prycis

Power , Asymmetric Motivation , and Costs : Outline

I . Bruce Bueno de Mesquita maintains that power is not the only decisive category that bears upon the outcomes of military conflicts among states

a . Closely integrated with the calculations of national capabilities are two other important concepts , namely motivation and expected costs

b . A state goes to war depending upon the expected gains from military involvement , which is calculated in terms of all three above categories combined

p II . Differences in motivation can account for many cases in which seemingly weaker powers have proved victorious over more powerful adversaries

a . This explains North Vietnam 's victory over the USA in the Vietnam War and Bavaria 's triumph over Prussia during the Hesse controversy

III . Concomitant to motivation is the cost of military engagement , which are both material and political

a . The asymmetry between expected and actual costs of war may also prove decisive in the outcome of war

b . Escalating costs entail not only the loss of life and property , but also domestic political pressures that , unless attended to , might eventually lead to a crisis of legitimacy for democratic political leaders

Bruce Bueno de Mesquita explains that in many cases of international conflict , weaker states may prove victorious over more powerful opposition . Furthermore , the decision of any state to join a war in favor of one or another country , or to remain neutral , is based not only on...