28 International Relations Theory of War
systemic international outcomes whereas different polarity models will
dictate different systemic international outcomes.
Therefore, it may be concluded that each of the three possible inter-
national systems will dictate different stability in the following manner.
Multipolar systems will be the most destabilized or the most war prone.
The gain of three or more of the powers that will operate in these systems
will not necessarily be at the expense of the other great powers in the
system. The flexible play that will occur between the great powers will
give multipolar systems the least stability or render them the most desta-
bilized. The strengthening of one of the great powers will not necessarily
endanger the homeostasis and will not lead to violation of the system.
Multipolar systems will therefore increase the tendency of powers to
expand owing to the anarchy principle; they will wage expansionist wars
irrespective of preservation of homeostasis. Owing to this, in multipolar
systems, the great powers will fight more wars relative to the other two
systems.
Bipolar systems will be the most stable or the most inclined to peace. The
gain of one of the two superpowers that will operate in these systems will
always be at the expense of the other superpower in the system. A zero-
sum game that occurs between the two superpowers will confer to bipolar
systems the highest stability. The strengthening of one of the superpow-
ers must endanger the homeostasis and may violate the balance of the
system. Bipolar systems will suppress the expansionist aspirations of pow-
ers stemming from the anarchy principle, resulting in their waging wars
primarily for retention of homeostasis. This means that in bipolar systems,
the superpowers will engage in very few wars relative to the two other
systems.
Unipolar systems will be partly destabilized and will be between the
other two systems. The gain of one of the players acting in the system
must be at the expense of the sole polar power, the hyperpower constitut-
ing the system. A one-side-loses game by the sole hyperpower occurring in
the system will lead to unipolar systems having medium stability or being
partly destabilized. The strengthening of other players operating in the
system at the expense of the hyperpower must endanger the homeostasis
and may lead to violation of the balance of the system. Unipolar systems
will allow the tendency of the powers to expand because of the anarchy
principle. They will wage wars only in response to a threat to their lead-
ership and the need to maintain homeostasis. Owing to this, in unipolar
systems, hyperpowers will engage in more wars than in bipolar systems
and fewer wars than in multipolar systems.
Table 2.1 concentrates the key assumptions of the theory concerning
the dictates that each of the three possible polarity methods imposes—
multipolar, bipolar, or unipolar systems—on the stability of the system.