The control of man's violence against man presents to modern society its greatest problem. A capacity to deal with the most devastating type of conflictinternational waris crucial to human welfare and even to the survival of civilization. Nations have become interdependent in technology and economy, but world political organization is based on a system of sovereign states now divided into hostile camps armed with absolute weapons.
This book is a study of the development of collective security, or international cooperative action for the maintenance of peace. The approach is based upon the "principle of concern," a recognition of the fact that organization to preserve peace is essential for every political community.
As a case study Willard N. Hogan has analyzed the principle of collective security as it has worked in practice in international organizations over the past thirty-five years. He holds that collective security is not unworkable as a method for stopping aggression and maintaining peace.