Concert of Contention

Abstract

Among equals, contention does not exist; competition prevails. That explains why the notion had not been used in international relations until recently. The advent of a unified world altered the situation: inequality, domination, and oligarchy opened the door to the various forms of dissension that currently occupy the international arena. Does this mean that a “concert of contention” has formed? The expression would imply minimal agreement about the grievances or an arrangement regarding them. That is a long way off. This new phenomenon will therefore be discussed with circumspection, comparing it somewhat to a “concert of lamentations,” simply to render the idea of variety, multiplicity, and diversity of origins.