Preparing for War: Assessing the US-Quad from Realist Institutionalism Perspective

Abstract

The rise of China’s assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region has indirectly compelled the US, Japan, Australia, and India to reactivate the long dormant Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (the Quad) to coordinate their strategic approaches. This article analyses both form and function of the Quad from realist institutionalist perspective to assess the diplomatic and military arrangements between Quad members. Realist institutionalist assumes that the type of the multilateral institution, whether it is an alliance or a coalition, along with its size, will affect the decision-making structure, power distribution, and internal leverage, which in turn affect cohesion, war-fighting effectiveness, interoperability, and the organization’s legitimacy. Alongside an evaluative empirical analysis of Quad, this paper addresses the question how Quad will thrive although previous attempts at NATO-like security institution failed. Realist Institutionalism theory will illuminate why and how such informal quasi-alliances vis-à-vis China are going to be the structural new normal for the Indo-Pacific region.