Description
How has international society ordered wars waged “indirectly”, and how have these wars ordered international society? This paper comparatively explores modern wars waged with indirect great power support for local forces. Its findings suggest these conflicts are both a product and source of order in international society. “Proxy warfare”, a Cold War term, has become politically contentious in the context of the war in Ukraine, labelling Ukrainian forces as “proxies” of the United States and other powers, rather than agentic forces. “Indirect” support of local forces by one great power against the forces and interests of other powers, has nevertheless been the most frequent and intense form of warfare in international society, since 1945. Since 1945, nuclear deterrence has increased the incentives for indirect warfare, and while the UN Charter has also outlawed aggressive war, indirect support of local forces has largely fallen outside international law. This paper suggests that great powers, due to fears of unintentional direct conflict, have also sought to informally order these wars, by seeking to confine their scope, to constrain their intensity, and by attempting to create and manipulate patron-client “proxy” relationships. The outcome of these wars waged indirectly, moreover, from the Korean War to Ukraine, have turn in also ordered international society, by redrawing the balance of power, and by enforcing the norms national sovereignty and non-intervention, albeit indirectly.
