Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow :
In the event of a nuclear war, both sides will be so badly harmed that it will be impossible to declare one side or the other as the winner, even if one of them tries to attack and disable the nuclear weapons of its rival, the other would still be left with enough nuclear weapons to inflict unacceptable destruction. Both sides have the capacity to retaliate against an attack and to cause so much destruction that neither can afford to initiate war. This, the cold war inspite of being an intense form of rivalry between great powers- remained a ‘cold’ and not hot or shooting war. The deterrence relationship prevents war but not the
rivalry between powers.
(i) Why did intense rivalry between the super powers remain a cold war only ?
(ii) Why can’t nuclear war between the two nuclear powers be decisive?
(iii) Explain the logic of ‘deterrence’.

Solution

(i) The intense rivalry remained a cold war because each of the two super powers knew that they would not be able to save themselves,inspite of the use of nuclear weapons as they both possessed the capability of destroying each other.
(ii) It could never be decisive as each power had ample stock of nuclear
weapons. Even after getting destroyed they could cause destruction and then no body would be victories.
(iii) Inspite of having the capacity to retaliate against an attack, they could not afford to initiate war. This is called the logic of ‘deterrence’.

Some More Questions From US Hegemony in World Politics Chapter

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US Hegemony In World Politics

Some More Questions From US Hegemony in World Politics Chapter

Which among the following statements about hegemony is incorrect ?

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Give an example each of the three kinds of hegemony that are dealt with in the chapter. Do not cite examples that are in the chapter.

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