United States-Soviet Co-operation: Incentives and Obstacles

Abstract

Since Stalin's death the Soviet and American governments have moved into a new post-cold-war relation ship in which continuing political rivalry is combined with some political co-operation to keep this "competitive coexistence" peaceful. Incentives for co-operation are strong, centering in common interest in reducing the danger of thermonuclear war. But obstacles, too, are strong: resistance by some Third World states, resistance by some elements of both of the co-operating governments, and the continuing intense competition for influence in the Third World, which creates imbalances and crises. Despite all the obstacles, the incentives to United States-Soviet co-operation may prevail. But if a co-operative relationship is to endure, it will have to become more extensive and evolve into an entente. The precondition of this is some curtailment of power rivalry, which would not, however, mean a global bargain. Furthermore, some element of trust would have to be built into the Soviet-American relationship. The Soviet-American co-operative arrangement could take two different forms: either a "condominium" based on a division of spheres of influence or an alliance on behalf of the growth of international order. The latter would be more in accord with the needs of the situation and the genius of the two peoples.