Balance of Power

Introduction

Realism explains the behavior of states in an anarchic order. States as rational unitary actors of international system try to maximize their security and power. Liberalism is about how states and other actors become interdependent, and security as not the only ultimate goal. The shift in balance of power in the international system led and will lead to war.

The shift in the balance of power is the main reason of the wars. In the Late Modern Era, between 1815 and 1914 the world was in balance of power first during the consensus period of Congress of Vienna, later during the unipolar system period of Bismarck, and later for a while during period of the bipolar system. The World War I terminated the balance of power and during the inter-war period there were no balance between the actors. The imbalance situation led to the World War II. The World War II set the stage for the Cold War, during which the rivalry between two super powers created a balanced system. Bipolarity of super power was the new balance of power system. After the Cold War the United States remained as the only super power. The interdependence and the international organizations that bind everybody for aggressive intentions are the key reasons for the balance of power in the post-Cold War era.

1815-1914

The Congress of Vienna provided an international order between 1815 and1854 based on consensus and balance of power between great powers (Craig and George, 30-1). The logic was equilibrium of great powers in Europe (Craig and George, 27). The Congress of Vienna was the most successful period preventing the war before the World War I, because the consensus among the great powers prevented any war or conflict between 1815 and 1859(Craig and George, 34).

As time passed a French threat diminished, the consolidation of Germany and Italy emergence as nation-states urge the change of consensus system. The industrial revolution changed the criteria of power like railroads for transportation of troops, battleships, new weapons. Bismarck who contribute to the end of old balance of power system, realized that the secret alliances with the European powers to escape a potential war that could ruin the peace (Craig and George, 32-3).

The Bismarck’s unipolar system dominated by Germany was the balance in the world order between 1859 and 1870. Bismarck made secret alliances to with powers and became a unipolar hegemon in the breakdown of the consensus. The equilibrium of forces between the European forces was complicated, in which Germany is at the center. The complicacy because of its secrecy was the weak side of the system (Craig and George, 32-3). The promises through secrecy could not be kept during the during the Bulgarian crisis and the unipolar balance was ended(Craig and George, 32-3).

The balance of power of 1907 differed from the balance of power of 1870; the balance was a bipolar system of two armed camps. Triple Entente of Great Britain, France, and Russia on one side and Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy on the other side (Craig and George, 37-8). Bipolarity prevent a war for a short period of time. The World War broke out when the incidents in Balkans, which was an area conflict for Austria and Russia ignited the fire (Lafore, 185).

As realism explains, states pursue their interests in an anarchic world order. The great powers of Europe made alliances to maximize their security. During the consensus years of Vienna, the balance of power was multipolar. During the Bismarck years balance of power was unipolar. The bipolar balance actually the pre-war alignment that led to war.

1919-1945

In the end of the war, the old balance of power system was torn down. The war ended the empires and crippled the economy of all countries. Economic depression prevailed and worsened the economy to an even greater degree. Germany especially was destroyed economically by the war; the reparations forced on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles was harsh. As resentment and desperation in Germany grew, and radical political parties gained popularity.

Extreme viewpoints won out in Europe, and communism took hold in the Soviet Union, while fascism controlled Germany, Italy and Spain. In Germany, Adolf Hitler's fascist Nazi Party came to power during the 1930s and prepared once again to make war on Europe. The World War II terminated the old system and urged the winners to establish a new order.

The balance of power was terminated and it led to World War I. The situation after the WWI was not a state of balance, moreover the imbalance of power led the WWII. After the World Wars the United States became powerful of one side, the Soviet Union on the other side.

Cold War

The end of the World War II, set the stage for the Cold War, during which two super powers rivalry established a balanced system over bipolarity of super power. And the by the lessons learned from the League of Nations, the new and robust United Nations and other international organizations provided venues to solve inter-state problems without war. Economic interdependence was another aspect of this era that diminish the likely of the war. More interdependent are state, they are more peaceful in their behaviors.

The nuclear weapons on each side was another possible reason for balance of power. Using nuclear weapons was total failure of each side, each side prevent themselves to react aggressively. Instead, they tend to find other solutions like diplomatic solutions or covert actions.

Post-Cold War Era

The disappearance of the Soviet Union off the world stage ended the Cold War. After the demise of second super power, the world shifted from bipolarity to unipolarity. The United States remained as the only super power on the world stage. Realism suggests a balancing action to the United States. However, there has not been any balancing action against the United States since the end of the Cold War. The United States did not show any sign of aggressive intention towards the rest of the world despite its preponderance. United States conducted many military operations after the cold war era. For each operation the United States sought for alliance and legitimacy. The military operations were held against terrorist threats to the United States or for the basic values of liberalism.

The economic interdependency is another reason for the balance of power. The international organizations bind the United States, too. Each state do not seek war or conflict to increase security against another state or

Conclusion

The shift in balance of power leads to wars. Starting from the 1815 to the World War I the balance of power was established during the consensus period of Congress of Vienna, later maintained during the unipolar system period of Bismarck, and later for a while during the period of bipolar alliances. The imbalance situation during the inter-war period is the reason for the war. After the war during the Cold War the balance of power between two super powers created a stable system. Bipolarity of super power was the new balance of power system. End of the Cold War created a unipolar system; the United States remained as the only super power. The interdependence and the international organizations are the main explanation for the balance of power in the post-Cold War era.