Explain the concept of balance of power. What are the various techniques of maintaining balance of power?. (UPSC CSE Mains 2020 - Political Science and International Relations, Paper 2)
Balance of power is a type of equilibrium. It refers to a relatively peaceful and stable international system. States behave in such a manner that a stability in international arena prevails. International politics is regarded as Hobbesian state of nature where anarchy prevails; no central authority controls the affairs. In that situation, peace is more desirable and war to be thwarted. To achieve this objective (peaceful state of affairs), balance of power assumed significance. Balance of power is a world system remained in international politics since the 17th century to first decades of 20th century. More specifically we can say following Joseph Frankel 1648 to 1914. Near about 300 years of stability prevailed in world politics. Frankel holds that balance was maintained by the few powerful states. It was a balance of power among the great powers and the system depended on their coexistence.
Maintaining the Balance of Power
There is a collection of strategies states can employ to ensure they don’t become vulnerable and another collection of strategies the international community can employ to maintain equilibrium between the world’s many nations and interests. A few of these strategies include:
- Preservation of National Sovereignty - After World War II, many policy experts recognized the extreme danger of permitting one state to invade and control another state. Those who believe in the balance of power theory believe nations should never violate other nation’s sovereignty, although nations can divide into smaller nations, if that is the will of its people.
- Contained Conflicts - When conflicts do erupt, power is best balanced by containing/stopping that conflict and ensuring it doesn’t spread. This was one of the driving rationales behind the UN’s involvement in the Korean War, the United States’s involvement in Vietnam, and the more recent international involvements in Libya and Syria.
- Limited Retaliation - Nations who are attacked by other nations should retaliate only to the extent necessary to preserve their own sovereignty and safety. To preserve the balance of power, the retaliating nation should not seize land or resources.
- Strong Military Alliances - Because some large nations desire all the power, nations must form military alliances to prevent international aggression. In particular, stronger nations need to ally with weaker nations to keep those nations from becoming a target of other strong nations. If an aggressive nation cannot easily expand by taking over weaker nations, it can be more easily kept in check.
- Robust Trade - Studies have shown that nations that trade together are less prone to engaging in the kinds of disputes that lead to military conflict.This is most likely because trade interlinks economies, making conflict between trading partners costly for both parties. As such, mutually beneficial trade agreements can be a useful tool in preserving the balance of power.
- Transparency - Diplomacy is perhaps the most vital tool in avoiding conflict and keeping world powers balanced. While a lot goes into diplomacy, one increasingly important factor is transparency. In a high-tech world, information travels quickly and secrets are difficult to keep. To avoid misunderstandings, nations—and international corporations, which often influence the balance of power—must remain as transparent as possible about their actions and objectives.
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