Conflict and the Social Contract

Bester, Helmut und Wärneryd, Karl (Februar 2006): Conflict and the Social Contract. SFB/TR 15 Discussion Paper No. 94

Abstract

We consider social contracts for resolving conflicts between two agents who are uncertain about each other's fighting potential. Applications include international conflict, litigation, and elections. Even though only a peaceful agreement avoids a loss of resources, if this loss is small enough, then any contract must assign a positive probability of conflict. We show how the likelihood of conflict outbreak depends on the distribution of power between the agents and their information about each other.

• Dokumententyp: Paper
• Keywords: conflict, social contracts, asymmetric information
• Fakultät: Sonderforschungsbereiche > Discussion Paper Series of SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems ; Sonderforschungsbereiche > Discussion Paper Series of SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems > A1 - Allokationsmechanismen in Organisationen und Märkten
• Themengebiete: 300 Sozialwissenschaften > 330 Wirtschaft
• Sprache: Englisch