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The Logic of the Cold War

The Web of Interdependent Governance and the Connective Power

Tian-jia Dong

The Cold War revealed, for the first time in human history, the logic of human togetherness, which indicated that it was not only necessary for nation-states to live together but also possible for them to do so. The necessity was because of the inescapably shared vulnerability of “mutually assured destruction,” not only in terms of security but more so in economic well-being and political stability. The possibility was due to the unipolar world structure sustained by the global governance web of interdependent partnership which worked powerfully “between” the power agents to ensure the best of all possible world. This latent governance system was both hierarchical and dynamic because its power was “connective” in the sense that power was rooted in one another and the ability to be interdependent by empowering other power agents and sharing vulnerability at the same time was the way of becoming the “nucleus” on the global web of interdependent partners and hence gaining power in transforming one another connectively and governing the world collectively. George Kennan’s patience in building up hard and soft powers “within” individual power agents of the web and Wilson/Roosevelt’s institutionalization of collective power “above” each power agents contributed to the construction of the system. The Soviet big-brotherly governing type was proven a failure.

Lexington Books

Pages: 206 • Trim: 6¼ x 9¼

978-0-7391-9011-1 • Hardback • August 2018 • $111.00 • (£85.00)

978-0-7391-9012-8 • eBook • August 2018 • $105.50 • (£82.00)

Subjects: Political Science / International Relations / General, Political Science / History & Theory, Political Science / International Relations / Diplomacy, Social Science / Sociology / General

The Logic of the Cold War

The Web of Interdependent Governance and the Connective Power

Hardback

eBook

Summary

The Cold War revealed, for the first time in human history, the logic of human togetherness, which indicated that it was not only necessary for nation-states to live together but also possible for them to do so. The necessity was because of the inescapably shared vulnerability of “mutually assured destruction,” not only in terms of security but more so in economic well-being and political stability. The possibility was due to the unipolar world structure sustained by the global governance web of interdependent partnership which worked powerfully “between” the power agents to ensure the best of all possible world. This latent governance system was both hierarchical and dynamic because its power was “connective” in the sense that power was rooted in one another and the ability to be interdependent by empowering other power agents and sharing vulnerability at the same time was the way of becoming the “nucleus” on the global web of interdependent partners and hence gaining power in transforming one another connectively and governing the world collectively. George Kennan’s patience in building up hard and soft powers “within” individual power agents of the web and Wilson/Roosevelt’s institutionalization of collective power “above” each power agents contributed to the construction of the system. The Soviet big-brotherly governing type was proven a failure.

Details

Lexington Books

Pages: 206 • Trim: 6¼ x 9¼

978-0-7391-9011-1 • Hardback • August 2018 • $111.00 • (£85.00)

978-0-7391-9012-8 • eBook • August 2018 • $105.50 • (£82.00)

Subjects: Political Science / International Relations / General, Political Science / History & Theory, Political Science / International Relations / Diplomacy, Social Science / Sociology / General

Author

Tian-jia Dong is professor of sociology at Westfield State University.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Web of Interdependent Partnership and the Connective Power: A Global Governance System
Chapter 1: Logic of Togetherness at Work: A Story Line of the Cold War
Chapter 2: Governance of the Web of Interdependent Partnership: Behind the Scenes Story of the US System
Chapter 3: Governance of the Big-Brotherly Vanguard Group: Behind the Scenes Story of the USSR System
Chapter 4: The Cold War Wisdom: A Frame Critical Analysis
Chapter 5: Emergence of an Interdependent Leviathan: A Grand Theory
Chapter 6: Construction of the Post-Cold War World: A Grand Strategy

The Logic of the Cold War

The Web of Interdependent Governance and the Connective Power

Tian-jia Dong

The Logic of the Cold War

The Web of Interdependent Governance and the Connective Power

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