Conclusion

This concluding chapter addresses some additional aspects of market power politics and outlines several implications of this study for scholars and policymakers. First, to complement the previous case studies of violence and strategic delay, it provides a brief discussion of Russia’s decision to abandon a delay strategy and agree to a settlement of the long-running dispute over the Caspian Sea. It then outlines a set of questions for future research on market power politics. Next, the chapter reflects upon how the research in the book informs an understanding of international relations. It highlights some important lessons concerning the effects of market structure on conflict behavior and the limitations of international institutions. It then contemplates the future role of gray zone tactics by countries like Russia and China. The chapter concludes with a discussion of some of the policy implications that follow from this research.