Theoretical analysis of the “balance of power”

The structure of a “balance of power” system can be explored with the aid of models, but for practical and theoretical reasons, the theorist often has difficulty in displaying all the implications of his model. In an effort to bring out and examine the stabilizing qualities and other potentialities attributed to the “balance of power” system, the authors of this article have invented a competitive game of international politics—not as itself a model, but as a device for “playing out” models and theories.