Toward A General Understanding of Parity and War

Questions about the relationship between power distribution and war have been a major focus of empirical research in international relations for decades. Thus far no consistent relationship has been uncovered at the systemic level. At the dyadic level of analysis, however, many independent studies suggest a relationship between power parity and war. One conceptual framework, power transition theory, is consistent with this evidence. However, power transition theory is unduly limited by an exclusive focus on the power and conflict relations of the very strongest of states. The present effort attempts to generalize power transition theory so that the power and conflict relations of minor powers can be included within its empirical domain. The extension involves the introduction of a Multiple Hierarchy Model. This multiple hierarchy model is discussed conceptually, empirical evaluations are reviewed, and its implications for a general understanding of power and conflict relations are assessed.