Chain ganging
Encyclopedia
Chain ganging is a jargon term in the field of international relations
describing the
elevated probability for inter-state conflict or conflagration due to several countries
having joined together in alliances or coalition
s. The agreed principles of such alliances typically include mutual-defence clauses requiring that, in the case of one member state suffering military attack from another power, all members must declare hostilities against that offending power. The result of such an arrangement is an elevated probability for an international conflagration, since the case of an actor attacking another power would almost certainly trigger--whether intentionally or not--a multinational conflict involving (potentially) infinitely more actors than the original two states which had attacked and been attacked, respectively. An additional feature aggravating the situation that exists when countries chain-gang is that no member state--at least according to sworn agreement or treaty
--has the option to refuse to participate in this involvement: once the states have agreed to the alliance, they are bound by obligation to join in the hostilities or conflagration as soon as they have begun in one state.
. Familiarity with the European alliances of the time considered, Germany and Austria-Hungary were codependent apart from the rest of the continent. When Italy decided to part from the Triple Alliance, both Austria-Hungary and Germany were alone, for the most part, in Europe and surrounded by the Allied Powers. The defeat of either of the two would severely weaken the remaining member. "The defeat of defection of a major ally would have shaken the balance, each state was constrained to adjust its strategy and the use of its forces to the aims and fears of its partners."
s, groups of people--usually prisoners or slave
s--bound together with chains or other devices as they work or march. Like a real-life chain gang, the states joined together in a chain-gang, according to bound obligation, have no option to refuse to follow along with the intent of the others. However, in reality, the members of a chain-gang coalition can and sometimes do choose to refuse to acquiese, in which case they may face international ostracism (at least from the other members of their former alliance), and possibly courtship on the part of rival coalitions. This is because, typically, few punitive actions exists in the realm of international law
that can sufficiently compel a power to follow its obligations at all costs, and therefore, the incentives to breaking ranks can sometimes be rather high, especially when the state does not agree with the actions taken by the other members of its coalition.
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
describing the
elevated probability for inter-state conflict or conflagration due to several countries
Country
A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously...
having joined together in alliances or coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
s. The agreed principles of such alliances typically include mutual-defence clauses requiring that, in the case of one member state suffering military attack from another power, all members must declare hostilities against that offending power. The result of such an arrangement is an elevated probability for an international conflagration, since the case of an actor attacking another power would almost certainly trigger--whether intentionally or not--a multinational conflict involving (potentially) infinitely more actors than the original two states which had attacked and been attacked, respectively. An additional feature aggravating the situation that exists when countries chain-gang is that no member state--at least according to sworn agreement or treaty
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
--has the option to refuse to participate in this involvement: once the states have agreed to the alliance, they are bound by obligation to join in the hostilities or conflagration as soon as they have begun in one state.
Historical examples
An empirical example of the chain-ganging dilemma is World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Familiarity with the European alliances of the time considered, Germany and Austria-Hungary were codependent apart from the rest of the continent. When Italy decided to part from the Triple Alliance, both Austria-Hungary and Germany were alone, for the most part, in Europe and surrounded by the Allied Powers. The defeat of either of the two would severely weaken the remaining member. "The defeat of defection of a major ally would have shaken the balance, each state was constrained to adjust its strategy and the use of its forces to the aims and fears of its partners."
Etymology
The term is a metaphor deriving from chain gangChain gang
A chain gang is a group of prisoners chained together to perform menial or physically challenging work, such as mining or timber collecting, as a form of punishment. Such punishment might include building roads, digging ditches or chipping stone...
s, groups of people--usually prisoners or slave
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
s--bound together with chains or other devices as they work or march. Like a real-life chain gang, the states joined together in a chain-gang, according to bound obligation, have no option to refuse to follow along with the intent of the others. However, in reality, the members of a chain-gang coalition can and sometimes do choose to refuse to acquiese, in which case they may face international ostracism (at least from the other members of their former alliance), and possibly courtship on the part of rival coalitions. This is because, typically, few punitive actions exists in the realm of international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
that can sufficiently compel a power to follow its obligations at all costs, and therefore, the incentives to breaking ranks can sometimes be rather high, especially when the state does not agree with the actions taken by the other members of its coalition.