About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

38 World Pol. 1 (1985-1986)
Explaining Cooperation Under Anarchy: Hypotheses and Strategies

handle is hein.journals/wpot38 and id is 19 raw text is: EXPLAINING COOPERATION UNDER ANARCHY: Hypotheses and Strategies By KENNETH A. OYE* I. INTRODUCTION N ATIONS dwell in perpetual anarchy, for no central authority imposes limits on the pursuit of sovereign interests. This common condition gives rise to diverse outcomes. Relations among states are marked by war and concert, arms races and arms control, trade wars and tariff truces, financial panics and rescues, competitive devaluation and monetary stabilization. At times, the absence of centralized inter- national authority precludes attainment of common goals. Because as states, they cannot cede ultimate control over their conduct to an supra- national sovereign, they cannot guarantee that they will adhere to their promises. The possibility of a breach of promise can impede co- operation even when cooperation would leave all better off. Yet, at other times, states do realize common goals through cooperation under an- archy. Despite the absence of any ultimate international authority, gov- ernments often bind themselves to mutually advantageous courses of action. And, though no international sovereign stands ready to enforce the terms of agreement, states can realize common interests through tacit cooperation, formal bilateral and multilateral negotiation, and the creation of international regimes. The question is: If international re- lations can approximate both a Hobbesian state of nature and a Lockean civil society, why does cooperation emerge in some cases and not in others?' The contributors to this symposium address both explanatory and prescriptive aspects of this perennial question. First, what circumstances favor the emergence of cooperation under anarchy? Given the lack of a * I am grateful for comments by Jeff Frieden, Ralph Ginsberg, Joanne Gowa, Stephen Krasner, David Lake, Timothy McKeown, Paul Quirk, Arthur Stein, and the other con- tributors to this volume. ' The essays presented here focus on nation-states as primary actors in world politics, treat national preferences as sovereign, and assume that any ultimate escape from inter- national anarchy is unlikely. Our focus is on non-altruistic cooperation among states dwelling in international anarchy.

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most