National Strength Assessment

Author: Ashley Tellis, Jonas Bilsky, et al.
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: This is a research report by the U.S. think tank RAND Corporation on national power. The report argues that the arrival of the post-industrial society has changed the traditional foundation of national power, and the methods for measuring the relative power of countries should be reassessed. To discern the true foundation of national power, it is not only necessary to conduct a detailed analysis of tangible military assets but also to closely examine variables such as innovation capacity, the perfection of social systems, and the quality of the knowledge base—all of which may be part of the broader capabilities related to the fundamental factor of effective military power in international politics. The book includes an introduction: Why study national power, a discussion on the concepts of "power" and "national power," a review of traditional methods for measuring national power, revised perspectives on measuring national power, measuring national resources, measuring national performance, measuring military capabilities, and a conclusion.