An economic framework of collective action during the korean war

摘要

Collective action, the coordinated effort between multiple actors, continues to play a role in the international community. In an increasingly complex operational environment, understanding the dynamics of these coordinated efforts is necessary for intelligence analysts. This research seeks to address the question: How can economic methodology be used to understand collective action during the Korean War for future use in intelligence analysis? The Korean War consisted of two different collective action groups going against each other militarily and ultimately diplomatically, which is why it is a suitable case study for understanding the nature of collective action. The research provides an example of how economic methodology can be incorporated into the production of intelligence analysis. The focus of this research is using qualitative economic methodology to develop a basic framework for understanding collective action. The research found that type of effort, the nature of the alliance, and the role of security as a type of good would influence the parameters of future economic models or theories regarding collective action.