78 International Relations Theory of War
Table 4.3
Stability of the Bipolar System, 1816–1848
Central Wars Great Wars Small Wars Duration
(Days)
Deaths
Total
First Russo-Turkish
War (#4)
507 130,000
Central Wars Great Wars Small Wars Duration
(Days)
Deaths
Total
Third Sino-
Japanese (#130)
1,614 1,000,000
Changkufeng
War (#133)
14 1,726
Nomonhan
War (#136)
129 28,000
Second World
War (#139)
2,175 16,634,907
Russo-Finnish War
(#142)
104 151,798
Franco-Thai War
(#145)
58 1,400
Table 4.2 (Continued)
SYSTEMIC FACTORS AND THE STABILITY
OF BIPOLAR SYSTEMS
The Stability of the Bipolar System, 1816–1848
The bipolar system of 1816–1848 was formed once the Napoleonic
Wars ended. It occurred in Eurasia and included two polar powers: Great
Britain and Russia, as the two sole superpowers in the system.^21 In that
period were seven wars between countries worldwide. Six wars were
not included in the assessment, some because they were fought outside
the Eurasian system, which represented, according to the current study,
the international system in those years, and others because they did not
involve at least one of the two superpowers constituting the system.^22
Just one war that was included in the assessment was fought in part
in Europe and in part in the Middle East. This war involved one of the
two superpowers that operated in the system, Russia, and was therefore
included in the assessment:
- First Russo-Turkish War (#4) (4/26/1828–4/19/1829)
Table 4.3 shows the degree of stability of the bipolar system that occurred
in Eurasia in 1816–1848.