Brinkmanship
From Free net encyclopedia
Template:Unreferenced Image:Cubacrisis 17 Oct 1962.jpg Brinkmanship refers to the policy or practice, especially in international politics and foreign policy, of pushing a dangerous situation to the brink of disaster, the limits of safety, in order to achieve the most advantageous outcome by forcing the opposition to make concessions. This might be achieved through diplomatic maneuvers by creating the impression that one is willing to use extreme methods rather than concede. During the Cold War, the threat of nuclear force was often used as such a deterrent.
Origin of the word
The term brinkmanship was introduced during the Cold War by United States Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, who advocated such a policy against the Soviet Union. In an article published in Life Magazine, Dulles defined the policy of brinkmanship as "the ability to get to the verge without getting into the war". His critics blamed him for damaging relations with communist states and contributing to the Cold War.
Brinkmanship is ostensibly the escalation of threats to achieve one's aims. Eventually, the threats involved might become so huge as to not be manageable. This was certainly the case during the Cold War, as the threat of nuclear war was also suicidal, through mutually assured destruction. Brinkmanship is not just a political or military term; unions that threaten to strike and spouses who threaten divorce are also engaging in brinkmanship.
Dangers
The dangers of brinkmanship as a political or diplomatic tool can be understood as a slippery slope: In order for brinkmanship to be effective, the threats used are continuously elevated. However, a threat is worth nothing unless it is credible; at some point, the aggressive party may have to back up their claim to prove their commitment to action. The further one goes, the greater the chance of things sliding out of control.
The British intellectual Bertrand Russell compared nuclear brinksmanship to the game of chicken. The principle between the two is the same, to create immense pressure in a situation until one person or party backs down.