The Paradox of Peace: Leaders, Decisions, and Conflict Termination

War or the threat of war may be endemic in international affairs, and as much as we may prefer peace it can sometimes seem out of reach. This of course can be frustrating, especially when conflict is longstanding and apparently provides little benefits. Indeed, it is often argued that it is optimistic about the benefits of peace that leads to conflict termination. Paradox of Peace calls into question this reliance on optimism, and suggests that pessimism may in fact be a far more powerful force for peace. That is, when leaders perceive little opportunity for gains through sustained conflict, the likelihood of peace through compromise may be most likely. Enemies accept compromise when they have come to believe that they will not be stronger in the future than they are in the present. Not gestures of conciliation but the threat or use of force is most likely to induce such pessimism. Orme introduces the reader to the straightforward logic of this argument, one that rests on the perceptions and calculations of political leaders who have domestic and international audiences. The accessible argument is then examined through a variety of cases from diverse historical periods. Counterintuitive and thought provoking, Orme's book will challenge students to rethink assumptions and generate debate.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Power; Pessimism and Peace Austria & Germany; 1848 1871 The United States & Britain; 1895 1905 Britain & France; 1882 1904 Indonesia & Malaysia; 1963 1966 West Germany & the Soviet Union; 1955 1971 Egypt & Israel; 1948 1978 Russia & Austria; 1879 1914 Greece; Turkey & Cyprus; 1960 India & Pakistan; 1947 Circumstances and Statesmanship

About the Author :
JOHN DAVID ORME is Professor of Politics at Oglethorpe University, Georgia, USA.

Review :
""The Paradox of Peace is an excellent and long-needed piece of scholarship, filling a critical void in our thinking about international conflict and cooperation. In this wonderfully written, beautifully argued volume, John Orme skillfully encourages the reader to examine a vitally important question: Why does peace occur, or fail to? Hope, he demonstrates in nine closely examined case studies, is an enemy of peace, while 'conciliation from strength' has historically proven productive to peaceful outcomes. This provocative argument suggests the wrong-headedness of much of our conventional wisdom and encourages a fundamental rethinking of our strategies for peace-making."--Edward Rhodes, Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Rutgers University""The Paradox of Peace is a unique and outstanding contribution. By studying the origins of peace Orme presents a valuable and overdue contribution to our understanding of international relations, with a focus on the important role leaders play. This impressive book draws on nine detailed and readable cases of international rivalries and will generate debate among scholars and students. I highly recommend this book to all those interested in the origins of peace."--Patrick J. Haney, Miami University"Written to be accessible to students and the general public, with nine case studies ranging from 19th-century Europe to the contemporary conflict between India and Pakistan, it will be of interest to scholars of conflict resolution as well. While the cases display a diversity of time and place, they lend convincing support to Orme's larger argument: that what he calls Micawberism (optimism, often misplaced, about a country's future prospects) is oftenthe greatest enemy of peacemaking, and pessimism its greatest friend."--Dr. Steve Schwark, Director of International Studies University of Illinois at Springfield ""The Paradox of Peace" is an excellent and long-needed piece of scholarship, filling a critical void in our thinking about international conflict and cooperation. In this wonderfully written, beautifully argued volume, John Orme skillfully encourages the reader to examine a vitally important question: Why does peace occur, or fail to? Hope, he demonstrates in nine closely examined case studies, is an enemy of peace, while 'conciliation from strength' has historically proven productive to peaceful outcomes. This provocative argument suggests the wrong-headedness of much of our conventional wisdom and encourages a fundamental rethinking of our strategies for peace-making."--Edward Rhodes, Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Rutgers University ""The Paradox of Peace" is a unique and outstanding contribution. By studying the origins of peace Orme presents a valuable and overdue contribution to our understanding of international relations, with a focus on the important role leaders