Deliberately destroying your own line of retreat to make commitment credible to the other side.
Caesar crossed in 49 BC knowing it made war unavoidable. The move is valuable precisely because it removes the option, which is what makes the commitment credible to the other side.
In practice
- A company announces the office closure date publicly, which is what stops the six-month internal argument about whether to close it.
- A negotiator books the return flight and tells the other side, converting a preference into a deadline.
- Standing
- The historical instance of Schelling's credible commitment.
- Further reading
- Wikipedia
- Subject
- Games & Strategic Interaction
- Essay
- The recurring shapes of conflict and cooperation