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Alternative Collective-Goods Models of Military Alliances: Theory and Empirics

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  • Conybeare, John A C
  • Murdoch, James C
  • Sandler, Todd

Abstract

How should the defense activities of allies be aggregated to determine the alliance-wide level of defense? Two alternative models--best shot and weakest link--are contrasted with simple summation of defense spending or manpower for aggregating allies' defense efforts. The authors extend the joint product model to include these methods of aggregation and devise an empirical procedure to test between best-shot and weakest-link models. They apply this test to four alliances: Triple Alliance (1880-1914), Triple Entente (1880-1914), Warsaw Pact (1963-87), and NATO (1961-87). The testing procedure can be applied to other collective choice situations. Copyright 1994 by Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Conybeare, John A C & Murdoch, James C & Sandler, Todd, 1994. "Alternative Collective-Goods Models of Military Alliances: Theory and Empirics," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 32(4), pages 525-542, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:ecinqu:v:32:y:1994:i:4:p:525-42
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    Cited by:

    1. Subhasish M. Chowdhury & Iryna Topolyan, 2013. "The Attack-and-Defence Group Contests," University of East Anglia Applied and Financial Economics Working Paper Series 049, School of Economics, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    2. Yukihiro Nishimura & Kimiko Terai, 2017. "Strategic delegation when public inputs for a global good are imperfect substitutes," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 24(1), pages 96-111, February.
    3. Subhasish M. Chowdhury & Dongryul Lee & Iryna Topolyan, 2013. "The Max-Min Group Contest," University of East Anglia Applied and Financial Economics Working Paper Series 050, School of Economics, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    4. Burnett, Kimberly M., 2006. "Introductions of Invasive Species: Failure of the Weaker Link," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 35(1), pages 1-8, April.
    5. Hirshleifer,Jack, 2001. "The Dark Side of the Force," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521009171.
    6. Todd Sandler, 2006. "Hirshleifer'S Social Composition Function In Defense Economics," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(6), pages 645-655.
    7. Anderton,Charles H. & Carter,John R., 2009. "Principles of Conflict Economics," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521875578, December.
    8. Keith Hartley & Todd Sandler, 2001. "Economics of Alliances: The Lessons for Collective Action," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 39(3), pages 869-896, September.
    9. Hausken, Kjell, 2006. "Jack Hirshleifer: A Nobel Prize left unbestowed," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 251-276, June.
    10. Binyam Solomon, 2005. "The demand for Canadian defence expenditures," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(3), pages 171-189.
    11. Maria del Carmen Garcia-Alonso & Keith Hartley, 2000. "Export controls, market structure and international coordination," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(3), pages 481-503.
    12. Chowdhury, Subhasish M. & Lee, Dongryul & Sheremeta, Roman M., 2013. "Top guns may not fire: Best-shot group contests with group-specific public good prizes," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 94-103.
    13. Subhasish M. Chowdhury & Iryna Topolyan, 2016. "Best-shot versus weakest-link in political lobbying: an application of group all-pay auction," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 47(4), pages 959-971, December.
    14. Fabio Padovano & Yvon Rocaboy, 2018. "How defense shapes the institutional organization of states," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 175(1), pages 111-134, April.
    15. Ghislain Dutheil de la Roch�re & Jean-Michel Josselin & Yvon Rocaboy, 2014. "SDI, NATO, and the Social Composition Function," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(2), pages 85-95, April.
    16. Subhasish M. Chowdhury & Iryna Topolyan, 2015. "The Group All-Pay Auction with Heterogeneous Impact Functions," University of East Anglia Applied and Financial Economics Working Paper Series 069, School of Economics, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    17. Hubert Van Tuyll & Jurgen Brauer, 2003. "Colonizing military history: A millennial view on the economics of war," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(3), pages 155-173.
    18. Rupayan Gupta, 2014. "Changing threat perceptions and the efficient provisioning of international security," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 47(4), pages 1312-1341, November.
    19. Stefano Barbieri & David Malueg, 2014. "Group efforts when performance is determined by the “best shot”," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 56(2), pages 333-373, June.
    20. Fabio Padovano & Yvon Rocaboy, 2018. "How defense shapes the institutional organization of states," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 175(1), pages 111-134, April.
    21. Subhasish M. Chowdhury & Iryna Topolyan, 2016. "The Attack-And-Defense Group Contests: Best Shot Versus Weakest Link," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 54(1), pages 548-557, January.

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