COMMUNIST INTENTIONS
237
(in a milder way), or Assyria
In
the ancient world, are examples.
Equally, however, she gives no evidence of being an exceptionally
pacific state. (Examples of such exceptionally pacific states, at any
rate amongst major powers, are much more difficult to find.) Russia
gives the impression of being determined to have her way whenever
she can, and of being not in the least averse to using force to get it,
if
she thinks she can do so without undue risk. On the other hand
she gives evidence of taking the risks of nuclear war most seriously
into account and of being loath indeed to incur them.
We may conclude that, again insofar as Russia
is
an ordinary
nation-state, she must be dealt with, in default of the evolution of
at least some rudimentary world authority, in the familiar way. Other
states, that is to say, will be faced with the alternative of bowing to
her will, or of developing sufficient military strength to deter her
from actions to which they particularly object. This
is
all painfully
familiar. But what is still more painful, and not at all familiar,
is
that the force involved on both sides is now nuclear force. True, a
realization of what the consequences of nuclear war would be
is
growing and provides, by its dread, a certain barrier to war. But who
can suppose that the barrier would in itself prove permanently ade–
quate? The relationships of all nation-states, of whatever kind, have
always been punctuated by war, merely it seems, because they were
nation-states. There would therefore be little assurance of peace
even on the assumption (and it would be today a premature as–
sumption) that Russia was another nation-state like the rest, neither
especially bellicose nor especially pacific. On the contrary a world
of such "normal" nation-states must go to war sooner or later;
primal international anarchy has always proved inherently unstable.
For the world to remain indefinitely organized into completely sov–
ereign nation-states in the nuclear age must prove fatal.
(This article is pa'rt of a continuing discussion on the problems of the
cold war and the future of the West. There will be further dis–
cussion in future issues of PR.)
