HOW DID THE COLD-WAR DIE - PRINCIPLES FOR AN AUTOPSY

This review examines a number of the factors currently advanced to exp lain why the Cold War died. It focuses first on the interpretations po sed by political realists from the right because they have received su ch widespread publicity, and because they illustrate the logical and e mpirical limitations of premature conclusions about the causes of the Cold War's death. This discussion is followed by a description of poss ible rival causes. The review ends with a consideration of the princip les of inquiry social science methodology advances and suggests ten gu idelines for distinguishing between truth and illusion, fact and fanta sy.