ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some central issues in deterrence theory that are important for explaining and illustrating the paradox of successful deterrence. Deterrence is a policy through which one attempts to scare off a would-be attacker by holding out a drawn sword. Deterrence consists of a threat issued by a state to inflict unacceptable damage on an opponent if the latter violates some specified elements of the status quo. A state will contemplate a deterrence policy if it values some aspects of a political or strategic status quo and wishes to preserve them. Two other forms of influence are typically invoked by states in their dealings with other actors in the interstate system. One is a policy of positive inducement, and the other is a policy of compellence. Three necessary—but by no means sufficient—requirements must be met by a policy of deterrence: communicability, credibility, and feasibility.
