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BALANCE OF POWER (CONTINUED):Degree of Polarization, Functions of BoP

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International Relations-PSC 201
VU
LESSON 09
BALANCE OF POWER (CONTINUED)
How is Power Balanced?
Often it is a matter of balancing threat rather than power, so distance, interdependence, and ideology
matter. External balancing can take place through alliances but risks dependency on others and requires
placing trust on them. This kind of trust and dependency was evident in NATO and Warsaw Pact during
the Cold War.
Internal balancing takes place by building up the capacity of the state, as occurred with the US-Soviet arms
race, in which both super powers tried to balance power by becoming more powerful themselves.
Degree of Polarization
Polarization is the process that causes neutral parties to take sides in a conflict. It also causes individuals on
either side of the conflict to take increasingly extreme positions that are more and more opposed to each
other. As parties move toward these opposite "poles," they define themselves in terms of their opposition
to a common enemy. Trust and respect diminish, and "distorted perceptions and simplified stereotypes
emerge." Parties assume more rigid positions and may refuse to negotiate.
The study of polarization first came to be identified with those realist writers who wrote about the structure
of the international system, the impact of military alliances on war and peace, and the balance of power.
a) Tightness of poles - all states in one camp or other?
b) Discreteness of poles ­ degree of interaction between states on each side
c) Level of animosity - degree of animosity
BOP and War
Truly uni-polar system would make major war less frequent, since one state can prevent others from arming
for war. War is most likely during transitions in balance. Rising power gains strength, challenges previously
superior state and, given newness of capabilities, war occurs because each side thinks it can win
Morton Kaplan's Rules of BoP
1.
All states act to increase capabilities but prefer to negotiate rather than fight.
2.
All states fight rather than pass up an opportunity to increase their capabilities.
3.
All states stop fighting rather than eliminate an essential state.
4.
All states act to oppose any coalition or single state which tends to assume a position of
dominance within the system
5.
All states act to constrain states who subscribe to supranational organizing principles
6.
All states permit defeated or constrained states to re-enter the system as potential partners
BoP in the Modern World
Creation of superpowers, made it impossible to negotiate individual BoP. Increasing disparity between
states has made maintaining BoP very difficult. Ideological positioning also makes switching sides very
difficult in the multi-polar world
Functions of BoP
BoP has prevented universal empires from transforming the world by conquest. It is provided peace in the
absence of effective mechanisms of collective security. Need for BoP between big powers has proven
particularly beneficial for secondary or smaller states.
Balancing Power for Secondary States
Secondary states, if they are free to choose, flock to the weaker side, for it is the stronger side that threatens
them. On the weaker side, they are both more appreciated and safer. States ally with those who can not
dominate them to avoid domination by those who can.
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International Relations-PSC 201
VU
Criticism of BoP
Power not peace is the overriding concern within the BoP imperative. War not peace provides the best
means to check instability in the BoP. BoP has resulted in absorption and partition of smaller states (Poland
was divided by Russia, Austria and Prussia in 1772 to maintain BoP).
States are not static units as they can increase their power through armaments and also acquire power
through development. It is difficult for states to switch sides, given the political, economic, socio-cultural
ties.
Relevant Vocabulary
Mechanism: device, apparatus, or system
Polarization: division or diversion
Acquire: to obtain or to get
Partition: breaking up or division
Static: the same, or unchanging
Suggested Readings
Students are advised to read the following chapters to develop a better understanding of the various
principals highlighted in this hand-out:
Chapter 5 in `"A Study of International Relations" by Dr. Sultan Khan.
Internet Resources
In addition to reading from the textbook, please visit the following web-pages for this lecture, which
provide useful and interesting information:
BoP
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_of_power
Polarization
http://www.intractableconflict.org/m/polarization.jsp
Table of Contents:
  1. WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND WHAT IS ITS RELEVANCE?
  2. APPROACHES TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: THEORIES IN IR
  3. APPROACHES TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS:Traditional Approach
  4. THE NATION-STATE SYSTEM:Further Evolution of Nation-State
  5. THE NATION STATE SYSTEM: BASIC FEATURES OF A NATION-STATE
  6. NATIONAL INTEREST:Criteria for Defining National Interest
  7. NATIONAL INTEREST:Variations in National Interest, Relevant Vocabulary
  8. BALANCE OF POWER (BOP):BoP from a historical perspective
  9. BALANCE OF POWER (CONTINUED):Degree of Polarization, Functions of BoP
  10. DIPLOMACY:How Diplomacy Functions, Traditional Versus Modern Diplomacy
  11. DIPLOMACY (CONTINUED):Diplomatic Procedures & Practices, Functions of Diplomacy
  12. COLONIALISM, NEO-COLONIALISM & IMPERIALISM:Judging Colonization
  13. COLONIALISM, NEO-COLONIALISM & IMPERIALISM:Types of Neo-Colonialism
  14. COLONIALISM, NEO-COLONIALISM & IMPERIALISM:Objectives of Imperialism
  15. NEW INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ORDER:Criticism of IEO, NIEO Activities
  16. NEW INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ORDER:Prerequisites for the NIEO
  17. NON-ALIGNMENT MOVEMENT:Origin of NAM, NAM’s Institutional Structure
  18. NON-ALIGNMENT MOVEMENT (CONTINUED):Cairo Summit, Egypt - 1964
  19. NON-ALIGNMENT MOVEMENT:Criticism of NAM, NAM and Pakistan
  20. THE COLD WAR AND ITS IMPACTS - INTRODUCING THE COLD WAR PHENOMENON
  21. THE COLD WAR AND ITS IMPACTS (CONTINUED):Truman Doctrine, Marshal Plan
  22. THE COLD WAR AND ITS IMPACTS (CONTINUED):End of the Cold War
  23. DISARMAMENT AND ARMS CONTROL:History of Disarmament
  24. DISARMAMENT AND ARMS CONTROL (CONTINUED):Other Disarmament Efforts
  25. THE RELEVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
  26. THE RELEVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (CONTINUED)
  27. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:Need for IGOs, Categorizing IGOs
  28. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS (CONTINUED):United Nations, Criticism of the UN
  29. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS (CONTINUED):European Union, World Bank
  30. THE ROLE OF DECISION MAKING IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
  31. DECISION MAKING (CONTINUED):Rational Actor Model, Group Politics Model
  32. SYSTEMS APPROACH TO IR:Underlying Assumptions, Elements of the System
  33. SYSTEMS BASED APPROACH (CONTINUED) – DISTINCT SYSTEMS IN IR
  34. LIBERALISM AND SOCIAL DEMOCRACY:Neoliberalism
  35. LIBERALISM AND SOCIAL DEMOCRACY (CONTINUED):Liberalism vs. Social Democracy
  36. INTEGRATION IN IR:Preconditions for Integration, Assessing Integration
  37. GLOBALIZATION AND ITS IMPLICATIONS:Advocates of Globalization
  38. THE GLOBAL DIVIDE:World Social Forum, Can the Global Divide Be Bridged?
  39. FOCUS ON FOREIGN INVESTMENTS:Pro-poor Foreign Investments
  40. CONFLICT AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION:Components of a Conflict
  41. CONFLICT RESOLUTION:Creative response, Appropriate assertiveness
  42. THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT:Global Concern for the Environment
  43. THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT:Environmental Concerns and IR, Some Other Issues
  44. HOW IR DIFFER FROM DOMESTIC POLITICS?:Strategies for altering state behavior
  45. CHANGE AND IR:Continuity in IR, Causality and counterfactuals, IR in a nutshell