Fear and Attraction in Statecraft: Western Multilateralism's Double-Edged Swords

From the Peace of Westphalia to the present, the ruling elites of kingdoms and states have attempted one international bargain after another for a variety of purposes. Whether it is to protect the integrity of a ruling system such as aristocratic orders, the prevention of power politics, or the mere hope of avoiding the scourge of world war, the West has consistently sought to use multilateral institutions to accomplish these ends, among others. What causes these multilateral attempts to su...