30 International Relations Theory of War
DEGREE OF TERRITORIAL EXPANSION
The second family of international outcomes that the theory assesses is
the intrasystemic international outcome or the degree of territorial expan-
sion of polar powers at the end of wars that they have fought.
Territorial expansion occurs when one or more of the six following
options apply during or at the end of a war: conquest, annexation, ces-
sion, secession, unification, or mandated territory. The theory defines the
degree of territorial expansion of polar powers at the end of the wars they
have fought using three values: territorial expansion, territorial contrac-
tion, and maintaining of territorial status quo ante bellum.
According to the theory, there are three possible war models involving
polar powers in the international system. Central wars are defined as wars
involving all polar powers constituting the system. These are the broad-
est wars out of the three possible families. They are more intensive than
major wars and much more so than minor wars. Central wars may occur
in multipolar systems. In bipolar systems, central wars will be identical to
major wars, inasmuch as both involve all the polar powers constituting the
system or its two constituent superpowers. Central wars cannot occur in
unipolar systems because systems of this kind have just one polar power,
a sole hyperpower.
Major wars are defined in the theory as wars that involve more than
one polar power out of those constituting the system, but not all. These
are wars of less intensity than those of central wars and greater intensity
than those of small wars. Major wars may occur in multipolar systems. In
bipolar systems, central wars will be identical to major wars. Both involve
all the polar powers constituting the system, the two superpowers. Major
wars cannot occur in unipolar systems because systems of this type have
just one polar power, the sole hyperpower.
Minor wars are defined in the theory as wars in which just one polar
power out of those constituting the system fights against a country or
countries that are not polar powers. These wars are the smallest of the
three families—both relative to major wars and all the more so relative to
central wars. Minor wars may be fought in all three polarity models—mul-
tipolar, bipolar, and unipolar.
The constant existence of the two order principles of anarchy and
homeostasis does not predict uniformity in the degree of territorial
expansion at the end of the three war models—central, major, and minor
wars—in which there will be polar power involvement. Each of the three
different polarity models will apply certain forces, or constraints, restraints,
and restrictions, to the players in the system, distinguishing it from the
other two polarity systems. These forces will be a result of the manner in
which each of the three polarity models influences the values of the two
order principles. These forces lead to each of the three international system
models dictating identical intrasystemic international outcomes whereas