The Ultimate Deterrence: Testing the Four Theories of Peace; will Institutionalism, Economic Interdependence, Common Identity and the Logic of Mutual Assured Destruction Prevent Great Power War in 21st Century?

Abstract

The article seeks an answer to the question whether the combination of institutionalism, interdependence, common identity and nuclear weapons the ultimate deterrent. The findings of the paper are drawing on insufficient empirical evidence of all theories, and on the contrary, the case studies condemn the real impact of the institutionalism, economic interdependence, identity building and nuclear deterrence in practice. Our argument is tested on the case studies of the Crimean War in the mid 19 th century, World War I. and Russo-Georgian War in 2008. The article primarily works with approaches developed within the framework of the realist school of political thought.