Following the Leader: International Order, Alliance Strategies, and Emulation

Nations must carefully tailor their military partnerships to specific conditions, but Raymond C. Kuo's book "Following the Leader" argues that most countries ignore their individual security interests and converge on a single, dominant alliance strategy. This is driven by their jockeying for status in a world periodically remade by great powers.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 03 August 2021
Publisher: Stanford University Press

Nations have compelling reasons to ensure their military alliances are aligned effectively. When security pacts function smoothly, they provide the foundation for regional and global stability; however, when they falter, they escalate conflicts across continents, dragging states into armed clashes. Consequently, we would anticipate states to meticulously tailor their military partnerships to specific circumstances. Raymond C. Kuo contends that this expectation is misguided.

In his book, Following the Leader, Kuo argues that most countries prioritize their collective security interests over their individual security concerns in military alliances. Instead, they converge on a single, dominant alliance strategy. The book introduces a novel social theory of strategic diffusion and emulation, utilizing case studies and advanced statistical analysis of alliances from 1815 to 2003. Following significant wars that disrupt the international order, a new hegemon establishes a core military partnership to target its most formidable adversary. Secondary and peripheral countries swiftly emulate this alliance, seeking to enhance their credibility and prestige by mimicking the dominant form. Whether it's the NATO model that appears sensible today or the realpolitik that prevailed in Europe during the late 19th century, a lone alliance strategy has defined significant periods of diplomatic history. Kuo demonstrates that it is not states' own security interests driving this phenomenon but rather their competitive pursuit of status in a world constantly reshaped by great powers.

Weight: 488g
Dimension: 159 x 237 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503628434