1990/06/01 by K. Edward Spiezio · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #International Development and Aid #International Relations and Foreign Policy #Political Conflict and Governance
paper · doi:10.2307/2600707
openalex publication_date 1990/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/05
Robert Gilpin's model of “hegemonic governance” represents one of the few attempts to establish explicit theoretical links between hegemony and international politico-military conflict. Specifically, Gilpin's analysis suggests that the frequency of international conflict is inversely related to the relative power of a hegemon. I empirically test this hypothesis by analyzing the pattern of international conflict during Britain's cycle of hegemony. The analysis yields conflicting evidence. The results indicate that hegemonic power has exerted a consistent negative effect on the outbreak of war since 1815. The findings also reveal a number of anomalies, however, which directly challenge the core assumptions and propositions associated with Gilpin's perspective on the relationship between hegemony and international politico-military outcomes.