| The quantitative study of international relations has successfully found several correlates of war in the post-Napoleonic system. Given that comparison remains the key to scientific inquiry, however, the reliance on a single system becomes problematic. This is especially true in light of the constructivist challenge that implicitly argues that the dynamics of interstate interactions vary across systems. This dissertation attempts to address these problems by developing an original data set on Renaissance Italy (1250–1494) that contains information on power, war, regime type, and preferences for seven major powers (Papal States, Siena, Florence, Genoa, Milan, Pisa, and Venice). This data set allows for more complete testing of several key theories of international relations at three separate levels of analysis (monad, dyad, and system). For example, at the systemic level this thesis finds that bipolarity does not lead to stability, which contradicts the theories of structural realism. In addition, empirical tests at the dyadic level confirm the existence of a republican peace even though the regimes of the city-states exhibit key differences from their modern counterparts (more limits on participation). These two findings highlight how the examination of alternate international systems allows scholars to develop a deeper and more critical understanding of important theories of international relations. |
