Abstract
One of the most striking features of the emerging world is the rise of countries with vast populations like China and India, while the number of smaller independent states also keeps growing. What kinds of conflicts are likely to take place in the international system consisting of countries with highly different population sizes? After reviewing classical arguments regarding advantages and disadvantage of large population size of countries, this chapter points out three patterns of risks, namely, the implosion of empires, conflicts over sphere of influences, and interimperial conflicts in transnational spaces.
This chapter is developed from my earlier article (Tadokoro 2016).
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Tadokoro, M. (2018). Mega-states vs. Compact Powers: Risks in the Emerging International System. In: Tadokoro, M., Egashira, S., Yamamoto, K. (eds) Emerging Risks in a World of Heterogeneity. Evolutionary Economics and Social Complexity Science, vol 10. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-7968-9_1
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