Distraction Theory Of War Essay ⋆ Political Science Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

Commonly referred to as the diversionary theory of war or the “scapegoat” hypothesis, this theory posits a close causal relationship between political elites’ domestic political situation and their interest in fostering an external conflict. States that are domestically unstable are more likely to start wars than domestically stable polities. Building on insights developed by Georg Simmel and Lewis Coser on the relationship between in-groups’ cohesion and their relationships with out-groups, the distraction theory of war predicts that conflict with out-groups will increase the cohesion of an in-group. External conflict is a means for embattled politicians to maintain their offices while neutralizing their domestic opposition. The incumbents hope that external conflict will allow them to either maintain or restore domestic stability by distracting the public from its grievances and rallying political support to themselves or their political party. The creation of a rally is contingent on political elites’ ability to demonstrate their competence in foreign affairs and use the external conflict to shift blame for the nation’s problems onto an out-group. Although referred to as a single theory, it subsumes multiple theories and insights that share its logic, including the “rally- ’round-the-flag” phenomenon and lateral pressure theory.

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