Although the Cold War was scary for those who lived through it, some scholars argue that a bipolar system of that type can actually be the most stable and peaceful. Choose all of the following reasons scholars make that argument:
- Each side can anticipate the action of the others
- States can switch alliances to keep balance of power
- With only two clear poles, both sides are able to exclusively focus on the other
- The hegemon can ensure that states stay in line and war does not break out
Yes:
- With only two clear poles, both sides are able to exclusively focus on the other. There are no mistakes about who is important and which crises matter.
- Each side can anticipate the action of the others. The sides interact repeatedly over decades.
No:
- States can switch alliances to keep balance of power. Rare in bipolar, more common in multipolar.
- The hegemon can ensure that states stay in line and war does not break out. Hegemons only exist in unipolar systems since, by definition, they would be the only dominant power or pole.