International Relations By Palmer And Perkins Pdf Free
Susanne Sima
In fact, Balance of Power has been traditionally an important fact of international relations. It has been guiding the decisions and policies of nations. Since the 17th century Several scholars regard it as the best guide for securing the goals of national interest without getting involved in war. Upto the first half of twentieth century, Balance of Power was regarded as being the only known modern device of international management of power.
The period of 1815-1914 was the golden age of Balance of Power. During this period, it was regarded as a nearly fundamental law of international relations. It broke down due the outbreak of First World War in 1914. It was tried to be unsuccessfully revived during 1919- 1939. However, the attempt failed and the world had to bear the Second World War.
International Relations By Palmer And Perkins Pdf Free
The Second World War (1939-45) produced several structural changes in the international system as well as in the balance of power system. Under the impact of these changes, the Balance of Power system lost much of its relevance as a device of power management. It is now lost much of its relevance in international relations.
However, armament race between two competitors or opponents can lead to a highly dangerous situation which cans accidently cause a war. In this way armament race can act as a danger to world peace and security. Consequently, now-a-days, Disarmaments and Arms Control are regarded as better devices for maintaining and strengthening world peace and security. A comprehensive disarmament plan/exercise involving nuclear disarmament can go a long way in strengthening the balance (peace) that exists in international relations.
After that the balancer again becomes aloof. Traditionally Britain used to play the role of a balancer in Europe. However in the era cold war no state could perform the role of a balancer in international relations.
The rise of unipolarity after 1991, involving the presence of only one super power has now further reduced the chances for the emergence of a balancer in international relations. These are the seven major methods or devices of Balance of Power. These have been traditionally used by nations pursuing the policy of a balance of power.
Balance of Power provides stability to international relations. It is a device of effective power management and peace. During the past 400 years it was successful, at most of the times, in preserving peace.
Since Balance of Power postulates the presence of a number of major international actors (7 or 8 even more), it ensures multiplicity of nations and their active participation in preserving balance in international relations.
Balance of Power wrongly takes a mechanistic view of world peace as a situation of balance or equilibrium in power relations. Peace does not depend upon balance in power relations. It really depends upon international consciousness and morality.
Balance of Power in itself is an inadequate device of international peace and security. It even accepts war as a means for maintaining a balance. Fear cannot be a real basis of international relations.
Finally, the critics argue that now Balance of Power it is not a relevant principle of international relations. The big changes in the international system as well as in the balance of power system have made it almost an obsolete system. On the basis of above arguments, the critics of Balance of Power advocate its total rejection.
Undoubtedly, in contemporary times the balance of power has lost its utility and much of its importance due to changes in the international system. However it cannot be denied that it continues to be an important factor in the regional power relations among the states of a region. It is used by nations for assessing the nature of power relations at the regional level.
In contemporary times, Balance of Power has lost much of its utility due to several changes in the international relations. The following changes in the international relations as well as in the traditional balance of power system have adversely affected the role and relevance of Balance of Power as a device of power management in International politics.
Previously, diplomacy and war used to be the chief means of conducting foreign policies. The decline of diplomacy, rise of new diplomacy and the new fear of war as a means, have brought into operation two new devices- Propaganda and Political warfare, as the instruments of national policy. These have in turn reduced the popularity and role of balance of power principle in international relations.
The bipolarity (presence of two super powers and their blocs) that emerged in the cold war period reduced the flexibility of the international system. It reduced the chances of balance of power whose working requires the existence of flexibility in power relations, alliances and treaties. Presently unipolarity characterizes the international system.
The emergence of nuclear weapons and other revolutionary developments in war technology has produced a big in change the nature of war. The replacement of war by Total War has made war the most dreaded situation in international relations. This has forced nations to reject war as an instrument of balance of power which rests upon the assumption that nations can even go to war for preserving or restoring the balance.
The rise of the United Nations and several other international and regional actors in international relations has given a new looked to the international relations of our times. The presence of the UN has made a big change in the structure and functioning of the international system. With a provision for collective security of international peace and security, the United Nations constitutes a better source of peace. Due to all these changes in international relations, Balance of Power has come to suffer a big decline. It has definitely lost much of its relevance.
In contemporary times, Balance of Power has ceased to be a fully relevant and credible principle of international relations. However, it still retains a presence in international relations, more particularly, in the sphere of regional relations among states.
Indeed the concept of Balance of Power is bound to continue so long as the struggle for power among nations continues to characterize international relations. Even the staunch critics of Balance of Power like, Martin Wright and Friendrich admit that Balance of Power is still a basic element in international relations. Balance of power is neither totally obsolete nor dead. Its role, however, has changed from a global device to a regional device of power management.
International Relations is the study of relations between sovereign nations and other actors in the international system, such as international organisations, multinational enterprises, and non-state actors such as non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
Norms and Institutions: The study of norms and institutions such as international law, human rights, and the United Nations is also part of international relations. These norms and institutions influence state conduct and serve as a foundation for cooperation and conflict resolution.
Conflict and Cooperation: The study of conflict and cooperation between nations and other actors in the international system is central to international relations. Conflict resolution and peacebuilding are also major aspects of the field.
Power: The study of power, both in terms of military capability and economic resources, is a common theme in international relations. Power can be utilised to influence other states and international players.
Global Issues: Global concerns that transcend state boundaries, such as climate change, terrorism, and pandemics, are frequently addressed in international relations. These difficulties necessitate a multidisciplinary approach that includes economics, political science, sociology, and other disciplines.
It is a branch of poltical science that defines how to interact with other states. the term international relations also defined as officials relations between the soverign states. However some scholars include economic, social and cultural relations in it.
Since international relations include all types of relationships between sovereign states, it is wider, and international politics is narrower in scope. As students of IR, we shall indeed examine political conflicts and cooperation among states. But, we shall also study other aspect of relations among nations as well including economic inter-action and role of the non-state actor.
The context and nature of IR have undergone major changes after the Second World War. Traditionally, world politics was centered on Europe and relations among nations were largely conducted by officials of foreign offices in secrecy. The common man was hardly ever involved, and treaties were often kept secret. Today public opinion has begun to play an important role in the decision-making process in foreign offices, thus, changing completely the nature of international relations. Ambassadors, once briefed by their governments, were largely free to conduct relations according to the ground realities of the countries of their posting. Today, not only have nuclear weapons changed the nature of war and replaced erstwhile the balance of power by the balance of terror, but also the nature of diplomacy changed as well. We live in the jet age where the heads of state and government and their foreign ministers travel across the globe and personally establish contacts and conduct international relations. Before the First World War a traveler from India to Britain spent about 20 days in the sea voyage. Today, it takes less than 9 hours for a jet aircraft to fly from Delhi to London, telephones, fax machines, teleprinters and other electronic devices have brought all government leaders in direct contact. Hotline communications between Washington and Moscow, for example, keeps the top world leaders in constant touch. This has reduced the freedom of ambassadors who receive daily instructions from their governments.
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