Saved from Oblivion by Jaap de Wilde

Saved from Oblivion: Interdependence Theory in the First Half of the 20th Century

The main task of Peace Research is to study the causes of war and
the conditions of peace. With this objective in mind, in 1962, professor
Bert Ming (1906-1985) founded the Polemological Institute
within the Faculty of Law at the University of Groningen, the
Netherlands. This study aims to contribute to that objective.
Interdependence theory is studied because interdependence in
world politics is sometimes seen as a cause of war and sometimes
as a condition of peace. Supporters of both views have a serious
point. Interdependence is a relation between two or more actors,
and, like all relationships, it is therefore a source of conflict. The
actors involved affect one another’s behaviour, which can be both
pleasant and irritating; the irritation may cause conflicts, and their
management can involve threats and acts of deliberate and organized
destruction (political violence). On the other hand, interdependence
by definition implies a measure of reciprocity, which
limits the options for conflict management.