War and the Engineers: The Primacy of Politics over Technology (Cornell Studies in Security Affairs)
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.63 (648 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0801474876 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 256 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2013-12-28 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Lieber goes a long way toward demolishing these hopes. He shows how seldom military innovations create clear and consistent advantages for defense and reminds political scientists that political incentives remain the driving force in decisions for war or peace."Richard K. Army War College, author of Military Power"Scholars and strategists steeped in the history of costly wars have leapt at ideas that offer technological fixes to prevent these tragedies. Betts, Director, Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies, Columbia University . "Keir A. Unfortunately, Keir A. Hopes have been raised that with proper planning and regulation, countries can configure military capabilities in ways that
"A useful corective to technological determinism" according to Steve Walton. This is an expanded version of the argument that Lieber gave in International Security in 2000 [reprinted in Offense, Defense, and War (MIT Press, 200A useful corective to technological determinism Steve Walton This is an expanded version of the argument that Lieber gave in International Security in 2000 [reprinted in Offense, Defense, and War (MIT Press, 2004)] and fills in many of the necessary gaps in that shorter article. Offense-Defense theory is all the rage in international security studies, and it, coupled with the tendency of historians of technology to (at least tacitly) subscribe to technological determinism (i.e., machines ma. )] and fills in many of the necessary gaps in that shorter article. Offense-Defense theory is all the rage in international security studies, and it, coupled with the tendency of historians of technology to (at least tacitly) subscribe to technological determinism (i.e., machines ma
. Lieber is Associate Professor of Political Science, Faculty Fellow at the Joan B. Keir A. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, and Faculty Fellow at the Nanovic Institute for European Studies at the University of Notre Dame
Lieber incorporates the new historiography of World War I, which draws on archival materials that only recently became available, to challenge many common beliefs about the conflict. Offense-defense theory is perhaps best known from the passionate and intricate debates about first-strike capability and deterrence stability during the cold war, but it has deeper historical roots, remains a staple in international relations theorizing, and drives modern arms control policymaking.In War and the Engineers, the first book systematically to test the logical and empirical validity of offense-defense theory, Keir A. The author's central conclusion is that technology is neither a cause of international conflict nor a panacea; instead, power politics remains paramount.. Lieber's cases explore the military and political implications of the spread of railroads, the emergence of rifled small arms and artillery, the introduction of battle tanks, and the nuclear revolution. Lieber examines the relationships among politics, technology, and the causes of war. Do some technologies provoke war? Do others promote peace? Offense-defense theory contends that technological change is an important cause of conflict: leaders will be tempted to launch wars when they believe i