The Fungibility of Force” by Robert J.

Art

Fungibility can be used for a wide variety of tasks across different policy domains, versatility – employed for.

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Art, "The Fungibility of Force". Fungibility of Force- basic argument is that the assumption that military force is only
good for military purposes.

The second section includes case studies in the use of force that span the. Contributions by Bruce J.
Allyn, Robert J. Art. and the fungibility of force. They affect IR /interested in how the internal features of counties
effect international relations. The Art of War summary outlines several important themes Sun Tzu developed to
manage the endless opportunities created by ever-changing. engaging the force. In
economics, fungibility is the property of a good or a commodity whose individual units are essentially
interchangeable. For example, since one kilogram of pure.

What we need to establish is that a military-to-military confrontation can bring more than just military results.
Robert J. ART opines that this is often achieved through the ‘spill over effect’ as he puts: ‘Military-to-military
encounters do not produce only military results … They also bring about political effects that significantly influence events in
other domains. Military power achieves much of its fungibility through this effect: the political shock waves of a military
encounter reverberate beyond the military domain and extend into the other policy domain as well. The exercise of successful
deterrence, compellence, or defence affects the overall political framework.’

Incidentally, the interpretation of the versatility of military power in peace time is much more complex and
daunting as Art says, ‘used peacefully, military power is held at the ready and its exact influence on political
outcomes becomes more difficult to trace.’ It is difficult because much of its influence is ‘less decisive’ and often
does not stand out alone. It is also difficult because rarely the military option is spelled out during any peaceful
engagement of national interest. It is rather left out as an implicit element to keep the other party guessing.

Many would define the solvency of a bank in purely financial terms. But solvency, as Art argues ‘is a function not
simply of finance, but of physical safety.’ The function of the liquidity and the physical safety of the money define
the solvency of a bank. One would not keep his money in a bank that has no physical security. For example, the
liquidity state of the banks in the war torn Somalia is certainly not comparable with that of a stable country. The
fact that ‘state makes banks physically secure by using its military power to deter and defend against would be
robbers…’ makes the case of fungibility of small nation’s military power.

Fungibility: can be used for a wide variety of tasks across different policy domains, versatility – employed for both
military and nonmilitary purposes. Also, the quality of being able to be replaced by another equal part or quantity.

Power assets of states include: population, geography, governance, values, wealth, leadership, and military power.
Focuses on the fact that military power alone is never sufficient.

Most fungible power: (1) wealth (2) political skill (3) military power

·Wealth: integral to military power – a rich state can generate more military power than a poor one

·Political skill: master techniques of persuasion and influence

·Military Power: possesses versatility because force is integral to politics even when states are at peace; physical
use of force, threatened use of force, or presence of force creates expectations and influences the political
calculations of actors – militarily powerful states have greater influence in world politics than weaker states à more
secure, can offer better protection to other states or seriously threaten them

David Baldwin: disagrees with the idea that force is fungible (Art’s opinion)

·“paradox of unrealized power” the fact that a strong state can prevail in one policy are and lose in another à state
at issue has strong assets in the domain where it prevails and weak ones where it does not

·An example Baldwin provides: “The owner of a political resource, such as the means to deter atomic attack, is
likely to have difficulty converting this resource

Force can be used for both military and non-military purposes

1) military power has spillover effects on other domains - "In sum, in a well-ordered state, public force suppresses
private force... this creates stability that has spillover effects on other non-military issues."

2) "Linkage" politics - military linked to a nonmilitary issue to strengthen bargaining leverage. The presence of
force can persuade people to do things which aren't necessarily the most beneficial for them, directly.

Fungibility of Force- basic argument is that the assumption that military force is only good for military purposes…
it’s good to have bombs and rockets and soldiers… he wants to argue that military force has many other uses and
effects in world politics

Spillover- you use a particular means to reach an end, and it has some other subsidiary effect, and that would be
called spillover

Linkage- issues are often linked together. Many military stuff isn’t good for forcing a country to lower oil, but they
are linked to security… linkage that makes military force fungible

Fungibility: can be used for a wide variety of tasks across different policy domains,versatility – employed for
both military and nonmilitary purposes.

Power assets of states include: population, geography, governance, values, wealth,leadership, and military power

Most fungible power: (1) wealth (2) political skill (3) military power

Wealth: integral to military power – a rich state can generate more military powerthan a poor one

Political skill: master techniques of persuasion and influence

Military Power: possesses versatility because force is integral to politics evenwhen states are at peace;
physical use of force, threatened use of force, orpresence of force creates expectations and influences the
political calculations ofactors – militarily powerful states have greater influence in world politics
thanweaker states  more secure, can offer better protection to other states or seriouslythreaten them

David Baldwin: disagrees with the idea that force is fungible (Art’s opinion)

“paradox of unrealized power” the fact that a strong state can prevail in one policyare and lose in another 
state at issue has strong assets in the domain where itprevails and weak ones where it does not

An example Baldwin provides: “The owner of a political resource, such as themeans to deter atomic attack,
is likely to have difficulty converting this resource