Book/Simulation2Book/Simulation3NewsgroupANewsgroupBWar and TradePaper
AssignmentPeer
Review ForumLecture OutlinesIn the Game of War and Trade, six nation-states compete to achieve the highest level of prosperity. States have many choices (trading, alliances, war, raising endowment levels, and building military strength) to make in an effort to maximize prosperity. Life is complicated and often dangerous and nations typically experience roller coaster rides in terms of power and prosperity. Gilpin argues that all states strive for wealth, power, and prestige and suggests that the international system goes through what could be called cycles of hegemonic leadership. The leading nation-state seeks to organize and control the system and challengers seek to change the system when expected benefits exceed expected costs. The system starts in equilibrium, but eventually, due to differential rates of growth in power of nation-states generated by economic, technological, military and political factors, becomes disequilibriated. Gilpin claims that the resulting disequilibrium is resolved usually by war. How well does Gilpin's theory work in accounting for the results you observed in the simulation? What features could be added to the simulation to make it more "real world" like and would such features make Gilpin's theory more adequately explain the simulation results? Finally, do you feel that Gilpin's theory and the war and trade simulation are more relevant for explaining real international politics than the Waltz/Diplomacy combination? If so why and if not why not?