The War system : an interdisciplinary approach /
edited by Richard A. Falk and Samuel S. Kim.
- Boulder, Colo. : Westview Press, 1980.
- xvi, 659 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
- Westview special studies in peace, conflict, and conflict resolution .
"Written under the auspices of the Center of International Studies, Princeton University."
Bibliography: p. 645-654.
Contenidos : Preliminary sections List of Tables and Figures Acknowledgments General Introduction πΉ Part 1: Moral and Philosophical Inquiries Introduction War and Massacre β Thomas Nagel Anarchism and World Order β Richard A. Falk Contrasting Approaches to Conflict β Margaret W. Fisher πΉ Part 2: Ethological and Psychological Inquiries Introduction The Lorenzian Theory of Aggression and Peace Research: A Critique β Samuel S. Kim The Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis β Leonard Berkowitz The Social Learning Theory of Aggression β Albert Bandura πΉ Part 3: Cultural and Anthropological Inquiries Introduction Anthropology and the Study of Conflict β Robert A. Le Vine Peaceful Societies β David Fabbro Internal War: A Cross-Cultural Study πΉ Part 4: Sociopsychological Inquiries Introduction Personality Dynamics and Social Conflict Psychological Factors in Civil Violence Aggressive Behaviors Within Politics (Cross-National Study) πΉ Part 5: Sociological Inquiries Introduction The Nature of Conflict Some Social Functions of Violence Societal Approaches to the Study of War πΉ Part 6: Socioeconomic Inquiries Introduction The Economic Foundations of Wars Economic Imperialism A Structural Theory of Imperialism πΉ Part 7: Decisionmaking Inquiries Introduction Hypotheses on Misperception Crisis, Stress, and Decisionmaking Case Studies: Korea and Cuba πΉ Part 8: International Systemic Inquiries Introduction National Images and International Systems Patterns in International Warfare (1816β1965) Cause, Surprise, and No Escape πΉ Part 9: Normative Inquiries Introduction International Law and the Control of Force The Grotian Conception of International Society Unravelling the Future of World Order Final sections Selected Bibliography
This book examines war as part of a broader βwar systemββa set of political, economic, and social structures that make armed conflict recurring in international relations.
Instead of seeing wars as isolated events, the contributors argue that:
War is built into the global system (state competition, power struggles, militarization). Political ideologies, economic interests, and security fears reinforce conflict. Lasting peace requires systemic change, not just conflict resolution.
The book combines perspectives from political science, law, sociology, and history to explain both the causes of war and possible alternatives, such as stronger international institutions and global cooperation.