Does Chain‐Ganging Cause the Outbreak of War? 1

Realists have argued that fears over the defection or defeat of an ally can draw states into wars against their broader interests (“chain‐ganging”). However, the logic underpinning chain‐ganging theory is flawed, and the paradigmatic case—World War I—is not an instance of chain‐ganging causing the outbreak of war. The paper draws on recent literatures on alliance restraint and the origins of World War I to provide the first extensive critique of chain‐ganging theory, examines the impact on chain‐ganging of a number of factors including power and interests, and suggests policy implications for an emerging multipolar system.