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Pax Asiatica versus Bella Levantina: The Foundations of War and Peace in East Asia and the Middle East

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  • SOLINGEN, ETEL

Abstract

Although turmoil characterized both the Middle East and East Asia in the two decades following World War II, the two regions looked dramatically different at the dawn of the twenty-first century. Since 1965 the incidence of interstate wars and militarized conflicts has been nearly five times higher in the Middle East, as was their severity, including the use of ballistic missiles and chemical weapons. By contrast, declining militarized conflict and rising intraregional cooperation has replaced earlier patterns in East Asia. There are no systematic efforts explaining this contrast between Bella Levantina and an evolving Pax Asiatica. This article traces these diverging paths to competing domestic models of political survival. East Asian leaders pivoted their political control on economic performance and integration in the global economy, whereas Middle East leaders relied on inward-looking self-sufficiency, state and military entrepreneurship, and a related brand of nationalism. I examine permissive and catalytic conditions explaining the models' emergence; their respective intended and unintended effects on states, military, and authoritarian institutions; and their implications for regional conflict. The final section distills conceptual and methodological conclusions.

Suggested Citation

  • Solingen, Etel, 2007. "Pax Asiatica versus Bella Levantina: The Foundations of War and Peace in East Asia and the Middle East," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 101(4), pages 757-780, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:101:y:2007:i:04:p:757-780_07
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    Cited by:

    1. Khan, Haider, 2023. "War and Peace in East Asia: Avoiding Thucydides’s Trap with China as a Rising Power," MPRA Paper 117089, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Jason Enia & Patrick James, 2015. "Regime Type, Peace, and Reciprocal Effects," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 96(2), pages 523-539, June.
    3. Avraham Sela, 2017. "The Vicissitudes of the Arab States System: From its Emergence to the Arab Spring," India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs, , vol. 73(2), pages 145-179, June.
    4. Matthew Fuhrmann, 2012. "Splitting Atoms: Why Do Countries Build Nuclear Power Plants?," International Interactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(1), pages 29-57, January.
    5. Jo Jakobsen & Thomas Halvorsen, 2019. "Geographical and temporal patterns of interstate security competition: Global and regional evidence," International Area Studies Review, Center for International Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, vol. 22(3), pages 226-246, September.
    6. Steve Chan & Richard W. Hu, 2015. "East Asia’s Enduring Rivalries: Ripe for Abatement?," Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs, , vol. 2(2), pages 133-153, August.
    7. T.J. Pempel, 2011. "Reducing Security Tensions in Northeast Asia: Lessons from Economics and Institutions," Chapters, in: Jehoon Park & T. J. Pempel & Heungchong Kim (ed.), Regionalism, Economic Integration and Security in Asia, chapter 9, Edward Elgar Publishing.

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