ABSTRACT
Escalation is a relatively new word in the English language. In a typical escalation situation, there is likely to be a "competition in risk-taking" or at least resolve, and a matching of local resources, in some form of limited conflict between two sides. Escalation in international relations is quite different, since each side decides at what rate it wishes to inflict harm on the other side. This chapter deals with the "political" use of force, and considers the military uses of political techniques. It gives primary attention to the threat or reality of force or coercion as a factor in negotiation. The chapter looks at the international order from a rather specialized and technical point of view. It distinguishes the aspects of national conduct to study the behavior of nations in conflict: contractual, coercive, agonistic, stylistic, and familial. The chapter also provides an outline of this book.
