MAJOR POWER INTERVENTION IN INTERNATIONAL CRISES, 1918-1988

The author tests a set of hypotheses about the conditions under which major powers intervene with military support for states that are threa tened in a crisis. The hypotheses are derived from a general theoretic al approach that integrates a realist framework with recent works that focus on the domestic political determinants of foreign policy. Seven of the eight hypotheses tested are supported by the results of legit analysis on major power interventions in 272 international crises from 1918 to 1988. The broad theoretical implication is that scholars draw ing on realist approaches to studying international politics should th ink rigorously about the role of domestic politics in foreign policy d ecisions.