17.423 / Causes and Prevention of War
Van Evera & Mendeloff / March 3, 1998

FIRST SHORT PAPER ASSIGNMENT

Please write a paper of 1000-1500 words (4-6 typed double-spaced pages, with normal margins and typeface) and that answers one of the following two questions.

If you want to write on another topic, say so and we will consider it.

  1. Imagine that you are transported in a time machine back to the year 17.30. Imagine that you are then made director of a large philanthropic foundation, located somewhere in Europe, and bulging with oodles of money donated by a peace-loving tycoon. The tycoon has asked the foundation to conceive and execute projects that would prevent future wars. What projects would you pursue? Specifically, what projects might prevent the outbreak of the Seven Years War in 26 years? Since you come from the future you know how that war broke out, so you should be able to come up with effective antidotes.

    A "project" can be anything: sponsoring a book, starting a department in a university, funding a political party, developing an industry, organizing a peace movement, plotting an assassination, you name it. Your tycoon sponsor put no limits on the way you spend her money: she just wants results.

    Please describe your project(s) in a memo to your tycoon patron that summarizes what you propose to do.

    Ground rules: you can being things from the future with you in your time machine, but only as much stuff as you can carry in one trip. Your machine is pretty small--about the size of a Ford Escort--so you can't bring much.


  2. Same as Question #1, except you are transported back to 1830, and your mission is to spend your tycoon's money to prevent the Crimean war, which is coming along in 24 years.


Your papers are due in class on Thursday, March 19, at class time (11:00 am.). You can bring them to class or deliver them to David Mendeloff's mailbox at the MIT Center for International Studies, 6th floor of building E38 (292 Main Street.) This building is right across Main Street from the Marriott Hotel.) Lateness will be penalized. You are not expected to do outside reading.

You may confer with each other as you gather your thoughts. Several heads are better than one. However, we will be bored if you all reach the same conclusions.

Also, get a draft or outline of your paper to Mendeloff by March 15 to get feedback.

Make sure your paper includes a clear summary introduction, of perhaps a paragraph. this paragraph should clearly state your question and should summarize your answer.

Footnote statements of fact, using an abbreviated footnote style if you wish. Footnotes do not count toward the length-limit on your paper so use them freely.

Also, familiarize yourself with the rules of citing sources (attached to the 17.423 course syllabus), and make sure you follow them. Failure to cite sources properly is plagiarism.