Appeasement in International Politics by Stephen R. Rock

From the Publisher

A Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2002 Since the 1930s, appeasement has been labeled as a futile and possibly dangerous policy. In this landmark study, Stephen Rock seeks to restore appeasement to its proper place as a legitimate—and potentially successful—diplomatic strategy. Appeasement was discredited by Neville Chamberlain's disastrous attempt to satisfy Adolf Hitler's territorial ambitions and avoid war in 1938. Rock argues, however, that there is very little evidence to support the belief that dissatisfied states and their leaders cannot be appeased or that appeasement undermines a state's credibility in later attempts at deterrence. Rock looks at five case studies from the past 100 years, revealing under what conditions appeasement can achieve its goals. From British appeasement of the United States near the beginning of the twentieth century to American conciliation of North Korea in the early 1990s, Rock concludes that appeasement succeeds or fails depending on the nature of the adversary, the nature of the inducements used on the antagonist, and the existence of other incentives for the adversary to acquiesce. Appeasement in International Politics suggests the type of appeasement strategy most appropriate for various situations. The options range from pure inducements, reciprocity, to a mixture of inducements and threats. In addition to this theoretical framework, Rock's explicit comparison of appeasement and deterrence offers important guidelines for policymakers on when and how to implement a strategy of appeasement. At a time when the strategy of engagement plays an increasingly central—and controversial—role in U.S. foreign policy, Appeasementin International Politics reestablishes the long-discredited use of inducements as an effective means of preventing conflict.

Library Journal

For over 60 years, the policy of appeasement has been linked to Neville Chamberlain's failed attempt to placate Adolf Hitler and has therefore been discredited as a took in international relations. Rock (political science, Vassar Coll.) revisits appeasement and makes a convincing case for its restoration as a diplomatic strategy. He presents a fully developed theory of appeasement and examines several situations in which it was successful-including U.S. appeasement of Iraq in 1989-90 and of North Korea in the early 1990s (though the labels applied to those policies were not disparaging). With the helpful use of grid tables, Rock identifies the key factors affecting the outcomes of appeasement: the type of adversary, motivations, inducements, and incentives. The case studies are heavily documented and an 18-page bibliography is appended. This well-written book will be studied by political science students and policymakers alike. Highly recommended for academic libraries.-Thomas A. Karel, Franklin & Marshall Coll. Lib., Lancaster, PA

Booknews

Seeks to restore appeasement to its proper place as a legitimate and potentially successful diplomatic strategy. Argues that there is little evidence to support the belief that dissatisfied states and their leaders cannot be appeased or that appeasement undermines a state's credibility in later attempts at deterrence, drawing on five case studies from the past 100 years, from the British appeasement of the US near the beginning of the 20th century to American conciliation of North Korea in the early 1990s. Rock teaches political science at Vassar College. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

What People Are Saying

John D. Stempel
Will be a controversial yet solid and definitive work on the complex and misunderstood idea of 'appeasement for years to come.
—John D. Stempel, director Patterson School of Diplomancy and International Commerce, University of Kentucky

Randall L. Schweller
The best theoretical work on appeasement to date.
—l; Randall L. Schweller, Ohio State University

Product Details

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents