Power in Transition
The Peaceful Change of International Order

This publication helps fill a major gap in the literature on peaceful systemic change. It identifies past cases of peaceful transition and discusses which variables enable major power shifts to occur without war. It also draws lessons on how the international community can best manage the coming transition to multipolarity. The analysis presented focuses on three core issues: how contenders for primacy come to see one another as benign; how they negotiate a mutually acceptable international order; and how they legitimize that order. Power in Transition also reflects on whether the nature of systemic change is itself changing because of social learning and underlying shifts in the character of the international system. Case studies examined include the Concert of Europe, Anglo-American rapprochement at the end of the nineteenth century, and ASEAN.

A UNU Publication Book Information: Sales Number: E. 01.III.A.12 ISBN 9280810596 192pp. List price: $26.95 Special Academic Price: $15.00