The Changing Nature of Military Alliances
democracies. That these alliances, which were dedicated to cold
war deterrence, would reorganize themselves as conflict man-
agement tools is not surprising. That these alliances would have
such a strong unanticipated effect on their member states is
astounding.
Alliances as Tools of Cooperation
The alliance treaties in this volume should make it apparent
that not all alliances are alike. Alliances are rarely formed only
to balance power or avoid threat. Instead, alliances are created
for a multitude of reasons, and their purposes can change
dramatically over time. That is why theories of alliances that
focus solely on the capabilities of states, or even on changes in
these capabilities, often perform so poorly in explaining simple
alliance relationships. There is a tendency to overemphasize the
strategic nature of power and statecraft at the expense of under-
standing alliances as useful tools of cooperation.
This discussion has focused on the territorial settlement
treaties and their effects. Similar descriptions can be written
regarding treaties that involve trade, regional cooperation, and
several other alliance types. Readers of these volumes who
understand the multifaceted nature of alliance making are tak-
ing a crucial step forward in their thinking about alliances.Reference
Gibler, Douglas M. 1996. “Alliances That Never Balance: The Territo-
rial Settlement Treaty.”Conflict Management and Peace Science
16(1): 75–97.