Alex Alfirraz Scheers
The increasing polarization of international politics indicates that the future will be characterized by an intensification of conflicts. And, as the tensions intensify between the world’s two largest nuclear weapons states, Russia and the United States, and potential nuclear near peer, China, the underpinning principle of the nuclear revolution theory will only grow in salience: nuclear wars cannot be won, and therefore should not be fought.
However, the return of great power competition has also galvanized skeptics of the nuclear revolution theory, who reject the logic and tenability of nuclear deterrence and advocate instead for nuclear superiority and a shift toward war-winning nuclear postures.
An understanding of nuclear deterrence, as engendered by the nuclear revolution theory, is critical in preserving peace and strategic stability. States may choose to pursue superiority, but this article argues that the nuclear revolution theory can more adeptly provide the requisite insights for policymakers and scholars alike to better navigate the challenges inherent in the return of great power competition between China, Russia, and the United States.
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