Principles of Conflict Economics: A Primer for Social Scientists

by Charles H. Anderton , John R. Carter

• ISBN13: 9780521875578
• ISBN10: 0521875579
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-03-23
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Conflict economics contributes to an understanding of violent conflict in two important ways. First, it applies economic analysis to diverse conflict activities such as war, arms races, and terrorism, showing how they can be understood as purposeful choices responsive to underlying incentives. Second, it treats appropriation as a fundamental economic activity, joining production and exchange as a means of wealth acquisition. Drawing on a half-century of scholarship, this book presents a primer on the key themes and principles of conflict economics. Although much work in the field is abstract, the book is made accessible to a broad audience of scholars, students, and policymakers by relying on historical data, relatively simple graphs, and intuitive narratives. In exploring the interdependence of economics and conflict, the book presents current perspectives of conflict economics in novel ways and offers new insights into economic aspects of violence.

Table of Contents

Introduction: definition and scope of conflict economics

Production possibilities and the guns versus butter tradeoff

Rational choice and equilibrium

Fundamentals of game theory

A Bargaining model of conflict

Conflict between states

Civil war and genocide

Terrorism

Geography and technology of conflict

Arms rivalry, proliferation, and arms control

Military alliances

Conflict success functions and the theory of appropriation possibilities

Statistical methods

A more formal bargaining model of conflict

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