Balance of Power

States are monsters, they will survive till they lose all power. I will try to explain what is Balance of Power and how it is in the practice. Also will discuss Realism but not going in deep. If we want to understand the Balance of Power we need to know some terms of Realism. Hope you will enjoy the reading.

Realism is theory, which always about power. There are two different power type. First, hard power and second soft power. Hard power is military power and Soft power is economic and political power among states. Realism says states must have too much power to survive if they do not they will always a looser and they connect this to human nature but not in a good way of the people. For instance, human always try to have more power and effectiveness on other people. However, there are substantial differences among realism such as classical realism and neorealism.

Neorealism defends the idea that states should have power to protect their self from the external threats such as war. State should make check and balance about the power and compete with other states to survive. Neorealist do not agree with classical realists about human nature term.

Moreover, Neorealism also has significant divided theory, which are defensive and offensive realism. Defensive realists like Kenneth Waltz “gaining too much power in the world will cause punishment from the environment”. Offensive realism is the opposite of the defensive and says state should gain power as much as possible and pursue hegemony among other states.

In addition, there are some assets of the neorealism such as Security Dilemma and Balance of Power.

Firstly, Security Dilemma is the state increase the states’ power about their defense and armies and seem as a threat from neighbor state side and Security Dilemma occurs in that time because the neighbor state feel unsecure from the state. After that neighbor state also starting to spend more money about technology, defense and army for trying to fill the gap between these states. Every country first should care about their security. For example, China is rising and becoming more powerful in every side of power (Economic, Political, Defensive and Army) and it seemed as a threat from the neighbor countries such as South Korea. South Korea felt threated by China. In addition to that, South Korea made decision to spend more money on defense and military because they care about their own security. In addition, North Korea is another perfect example.

Secondly, Balance of Power maintains that when one state or alliance increases its power, and threated states will increase their own power as response to state or alliance. Balance of Power has unique power that is connecting states who were enemies before and that states having different norms, beliefs and also their policies opposite and not fitting each other. However, they become together and make cooperation. Because one state is pursue too much power and can become hegemony and states or alliances should work together for distributing power equal and rebalance the powerful state or alliance. For instance, USA and Soviet Union were in same alliance in World War II time and fighting with same enemy because Germany gained too much power.

In addition, making cooperation against hegemon state or great power had been always easy for the states who share similar background, belief, religion, culture and ideology. For example, Ottoman Empire was dominating the power in the world and that was disturbing and threatening the western countries. After those western countries came together under one flag because of religion, fear connected them. They attacked to Ottoman Empire couple of times to balance to power. Actually, they could not succeeded. Moreover, we can say these alliances are not long time, it has been for a while when the threat is gone mostly they are splitting and turning to their old policies each other.

Moreover, after creation of nuclear weapon things started to chance because nuclear weapon is too powerful. Rebalancing power with war is not good solution and smart move to punish the state. However, smaller states are in trouble because of these bombs and feel unsecure. After that ten states become together to rebalance the power but the power seeker state has nuclear weapon. I think they are not going to stop it. For instance, Japan gained too much power and become second economic power in the world after that bombed by USA and it crushed the economy. However, Japan could not take opposite action to USA. Nevertheless, they can cooperate with powerful state, which has nuclear weapon. In this point, I would like to explain bandwagon. When there is conflict or war in the world. Small states chose their side next to a powerful state and stands there for their benefits. For example, in World War II, powerful states were fighting each other and small states such as Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria got involved the war because of their benefits and dreams. Another example of this,

Cold War time, Turkey and Greece were first standing next to the Great Britain after a while they skip next to USA..

Furthermore, I believe that balance of power still has too much effect in the world policies. Maybe the most important because still we see some of rebalancing events but not totally clear because mostly states are doing via some groups, institutions or policies which, will effect to power seeker state or states makes secret agreements if they will have problem with state who is gaining power.

Great powers have different methods to keep states weak. Firstly, involving the elections of the state and make selected who is closer to the powerful state and that person will obey the rules of the powerful state. Secondly, supplying and supporting a group who has capability to become terrorist in the state and make the state has problem in domestic, which will make the state weaker on external policy. For example, Turkey is having problems with terrorism for a long time. This terrorist group supported by states. Because if they do not supported it could be finished until now. However, some states are having trumps on Turkey and using this when Turkey gains power. Third, powerful state or alliance punish the power seeker state with embargo. Which will affect the economy in bad way. For instance, Iran try to gain more power and want to produce nuclear bomb and USA put embargo on Iran. However, we cannot say it worked well. After that, EU put embargo on Iran. The sanctions damaged economy a lot in Iran and Iran accepted to make agreement with the states about producing the nuclear bomb.

Overall, states nature is survival and state can make everything for surviving but most of the time, states are not seem their power enough and gain too much power. In this case, balancing power appear and state or states who make alliance are punishing the states who gained too much power. It is like a forever loop of the world, which always repeat as we can see in the history such as Ottoman Empire, Nazi German, Japan, etc. I think some theories are changing because world is changing with technology, globalization, etc. However, I think Balance of Power will never chance because the world always needs to have distribution of power. If there is no distribution, be ready to see rebalancing process. Security dilemma is feeling unsecure and try to provide more security for the state. For example, you are in cycling race and a person tries to get ahead you. At this point you will not let him to win because both of you want to win the endless race. However, we can look in different perspective assume that race started and you do not see anybody in front of you in this time you are not going to force yourself to win the endless race and keep your power stable because while you are riding you are training and will gain power.


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