Do Asian States Tend to Accept Hierarchy?

This article examines the proposition, popularized by Samuel Huntington, that Asian states have historically been prone to accepting hierarchy in the international system. As China rises in power, will Asian states choose to accept a hierarchical order dominated by China or will they attempt to counterbalance Chinese power? By examining Asian international history and the contemporary period, I argue that the proposition of a benign Asian hierarchy is flawed because it is based on a misreading of Asian history. Asian states have historically preferred balancing to bandwagoning. When they did bandwagon, it was because of their relative weakness, geographic proximity, and the unavailability of allies. In other words, they bandwagoned because they had no better alternatives. The logic of balancing power remains the best way to understanding East Asian security policy. Unless the United States pulls out of Asia, the emerging security order in Asia will not be hierarchic or Sinocentric. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]