124 International Relations Theory of War
affect the values of the two transhistorical order principles that constantly
act in the international system. While the anarchy principle will spur the
great powers to tend always to expansion through their enormous capa-
bilities, this result will not conflict with the other order principle, homeo-
stasis, inasmuch as an increase in the land force of great powers at the end
of major or minor wars is unlikely to lead to the collapse of the system—a
result that the homeostasis principle does not resist and therefore allows it
to occur.
The Multipolar System, 1849–1870Out of the five wars fought in the multipolar system in the European
continent in 1849–1870, with the involvement of the five polar powers
that constituted the system, three are noteworthy. These wars were of
great importance and will also be examined qualitatively in the study: the
Crimean War (1853–1856); the Seven Weeks’ War (1866); and the Franco-
Prussian War (1870–1871), which indicated the end of the multipolar sys-
tem that the current subchapter discusses and the beginning of the bipolar
system that was formed after it.
The Crimean War (1853–1856)The Crimean War broke out in a system whose leadership was shared
by two countries, Great Britain and Russia, while other countries had
reasonable ability to achieve hegemony.^134 The war effectively destroyed
everything that was left of the European hegemony and paved the way
for the shocks of 1859–1871.^135 It was the first war between Europe’s great
powers for 39 years and become a European total war. Great Britain and
Russia, global enemies and the strongest powers in Europe, fought each
other. The war involved the most complicated, longest, and most danger-
ous question in European politics—the eastern question.^136
After two years of tough fighting and diplomatic pressures, no country
joined the war except for Sardinia/Piedmont. In the end, France convinced
Britain, with Austria’s assistance, to end the war and make peace before it
wanted to. The war had a few other local and international consequences:
humiliation and internal weakening of Russia, the lack of Britain’s victory,
and the significant influence of the system of European countries, particu-
larly the long-term effect of unification of Germany.^137
The Seven Weeks’ War between Prussia and Austria (1866)The Seven Weeks’ War developed because each of the parties made
demands concerning the dispute surrounding Elbe Duchies and no party
was prepared to accept the demands of the other.^138 In 1864, Prussia and
Austria fought as allies against Denmark in the Second Schleswig-Holstein