The Purposes of Arms Control (November 2018)
Access full-text files
Date
2018
Authors
Maurer, John D.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Texas National Security Review
Abstract
Department
Description
In this paper, I review three major purposes for arms control negotiations — disarmament, stability, and advantage. In the first part of the paper, I compare the three purposes against the causes of war literature to show that each provides a defensible rationale for reducing the chances of war. While scholars debate which approach to arms control is correct, historically, policymakers have embraced arms control pluralism, pursuing agreements that can advance multiple arms control objectives simultaneously. In the second part of the paper, I demonstrate how the Nixon administration’s negotiation of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty combined these multiple purposes.