Power Politics: Rudresh Kumar Singh and Sakshi Malhotra (Students of 2Nd Sem, B.A. LL.B)

Power POlitics
Rudresh Kumar Singh and Sakshi

Malhotra
(Students of 2nd Sem, B.A. LL.B)
Realism in Terms of Power
Realism is a school of thought that explains international relations in

term of power. It is based on the dominance that is each state must rely
on its own power and less reliance on other states.
Realistic approach developed in reaction to idealism that emphasizes
international law, morality and international organizations than power
alone.
Realistic approach came in to picture after second word war when
idealism was criticized for looking too much at how the world ought to
be instead of how it really is.
Difference between the Realism and

Idealism
According to Realistic Approach human nature is selfish whereas in

Idealism human nature is altruistic.
Most important factor in Realistic approach is States whereas in
Idealism there are States and others including individuals.
In realism the cause of State behavior is Rational pursuit of selfinterest and in Idealism the cause is psychological motives of decision
makers.
Nature of International System in Realism is Anarchy whereas in
Idealism it is community.
Power
Power is defined as the ability to get another actor to do what it would
not otherwise have done.
In layman language the ability to get things done in the way you want
is Power.
Population, territory, military force and GDP are some of the
indicators of states power.
Power can be of two types1) Material Power
2) Soft Power
Material Power- A state tangible capabilities (including military force)
represent material power.
Soft power- Power that depends on non material elements like national
will, diplomatic skill, popular support for the government.
Anarchy and Sovereignty
Realist believes that international system exists in state of Anarchy.

Here state of Anarchy implies not complete chaos or absence of
structure and rules but rather the lack of central government that can
enforce rules.
The power of one state can be countered only by the power of another
state, hence states must rely on self help.
National Interest in the state of Anarchy is the goals which states
pursue to maximize what they perceive to be selfishly best for their
country.
Sovereignty means the government has right, in principle, to do
whatever it wants in its own territory. In sovereignty States are
separate and autonomous. States are not supposed to interfere in the
internal affairs of the other states.
Lack of world police to punish the States if they break an agreement

makes enforcement of international agreement difficult.
Respect for the territorial integrity is an important principle of IR.
What are the effect of informational technology on territorial
integrity?
Security Dilemma- A situation in which actions taken by the states to
ensure their own security threaten the security of other states. It
enhances arm race. It is the negative consequences of Anarchy in
International System.
Balance of Power
Balance of Power is a general concept which refers one or more states

power being used balance that of another state or group of states.
It can refer to the process by which counterbalancing coalitions have
repeatedly formed in history to prevent one state from conquering the
entire region.
Balance of power brings sustainability in international system. It
doesnt imply peace, bit rather a stability maintained by recurring
wars that adjust power relations.
Alliances are the best way of balancing the powers.
States dont always balance against the strongest power. Here concept
of Bandwagoning comes into light.
Great Power/Powers and Middle Powers
The most powerful State exerts most influence on International

system.
Handful of states posses the majority of the worlds power resources.
Great power are generally considered the half dozen or so most

powerful states.
Generally it has the worlds strongest military and the strongest
economies.
U.S.A is the worlds only superpower.
China worlds largest population, rapid economic growth and a large
military forces with a credible nuclear arsenals.
Middle Powers- Rank somewhat below the great powers. Some middle
countries are large but not highly industrialized, other may be small
with special capabilities.
Examples of large and influential countries India, Indonesia, Brazil,
Argentina, Mexico, Nigeria etc. and midsized countries are Canada,
Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine and Australia etc.
HEGEMONY
Hegemony, from the Greek hegemn(guide, ruler, leader)

and hegemonia(rule, leadership), denotes the preeminent influence a
state, social class, group, or individual exercises over others.
In modern context this term was first time used by Italian Marxist
theorist Antonio Gramsci to refer to the complex ideas that rulers use
to gain consent for their legitimacy and keep the subject in line, thus
reducing the use of force for the same.
It is the holding by one state of a preponderance of power in the
international system, so that it can single handedly dominate the
rules and arrangements by which international political and
economic relations are conducted.
APPROACHES OF HEGEMONY
CONVENTIONAL APPROACH
NEOLIBERAL APPROACH
GRAMSCIAN APPROACH
CONVENTIONAL APPROACH
Used to signify a condition of disequilibrium of power in the

international system, in which one state becomes so powerful that can
exercise leadership in or dominance over the international system .
In this state, often referred to as hegemon, hegemonic power or
imperial power, has therefore the capacity to exercise fundamental
control over the structures of the international system, as well as the
(international) behaviour of its constitutive units.
The factors on which the superiority of the hegemon may lie include
geography, natural resources, industrial, financial and in general
economic capacity, military capacity and preparedness, population
(including both quantitative and qualitative aspects such as
education), morale and unity, quality of diplomacy and government,
technological innovation etc.
NEO-LIBERAL APPROACH
Challenged the Hegemonic Stability Theory

Shifted the focus from analysis of the hegemony (i.e. the hegemon) to
the conditions and mechanisms of its operation.
Believed in the role of international institutions in IR
Believed that though a hegemon may be needed to form an
International Institution in IR but it can function even after the
collapse of hegemon.
Theory believed that Hegemony can outlive hegemon itself .
GRAMSCIAN APPROACH
Argued that there are two types of political control: domination that is
based on coercion, and hegemony that is based on consent.
Stated that hegemony in international system move from a statecentric reading of the world system, where social forces are seen
through national lens.
The Gramscian approach locates the subject of hegemony not in a
powerful state but in transnational social forces that dominate in the
mode of production. Without diminishing the importance of material
power and dominance over material resources, it understands
hegemony not in terms of coercion, but in terms of consent, shared
beliefs and commonsense.
Described hegemony as a combination of consent and coercion.
RADICAL APPROACH
Hegemony is a discursive order, i.e. it consists of a set of practices that

has acquired an independent dynamic which is not reducible to the
social forces that gave birth to it in the first place.
They conceptualize hegemony as a new international order that
becomes an integral, vital function that every individual embraces
and reactivates of his or her own accord.
Therefore, they do not locate the subject of hegemony in any powerful
state or group of states, or factor of production, but directly at the
level of the individual.
GREAT POWER SYSTEM
Balance of power theory asserts that the most effective check on the power
of a state is the power of other states.
Multiple states can form a balance of power when alliances are fluidthat
is, when they are easily formed or broken on the basis of expediency,
regardless of values, religion, history, or form of government. Occasionally
a single state plays a balancer role, shifting its support to oppose whatever
state or alliance is strongest. Britain played this role in Europe in the 18th
and 19th centuries, particularly in its relations with France, Russia, and
Germany.
Two states can balance against each other by matching their increases in
military capability. In the Cold War, the Soviet Union and United States
both expanded their nuclear arsenals to balance against each other.
ALLIANCES
Coilation of States that coordinate together to accomplish some goals.

Are fluid in nature and may shift with the shifting national interest.
Also known as marriage of convenience.
Usually formed to augment the power of its member states so that they
can bargain with other states.
More important for smaller states as they get security against the
enemy states.
IMPORTANT ALLIANCES
TRIPLE ALLIANCE
TRIPLE ENTENTE
NATO
WARSAW PACT
US-JAPAN TREATY
NAM(referring as a peaceful alliance)
BRICS(Economic alliance)
The Prisoners Dilemma
Well try to understand the concept through an example.

Two people have been arrested and are held in separate cells. They are
not allowed to communicate with each other at all.
Each of the prisoner has been told that they are arrested for
committing the crime together.
If both prisoners confess then they will be sentenced for 5 years.
If prisoner A confess and prisoner B doesnt or vice versa, prisoner
who confessed will be let free and other will be sentenced for 20 years.
If both dont confess, each will be awarded 1 year sentence.
Prisoners dilemma is a non-zero sum game.

A zero-sum game is one in which the players' interests are in direct
conflict, e.g. in football, one team wins and the other loses; payoffs sum
to zero.
A game is non-zero-sum, if players interests are not always in direct
conflict, so that there are opportunities for both to gain.
For example, when both players choose Don't Confess in the
Prisoners' Dilemma.
India and Pakistan nuclear arm race is one of the example of Prisons
dilemma.
Thank You

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Power POlitics

Rudresh Kumar Singh and Sakshi

Realism in Terms of Power

Realism is a school of thought that explains international relations in

Difference between the Realism and

According to Realistic Approach human nature is selfish whereas in

Anarchy and Sovereignty

Realist believes that international system exists in state of Anarchy.

Lack of world police to punish the States if they break an agreement

Balance of Power is a general concept which refers one or more states

Great Power/Powers and Middle Powers

The most powerful State exerts most influence on International

Great power are generally considered the half dozen or so most

Hegemony, from the Greek hegemn(guide, ruler, leader)

Used to signify a condition of disequilibrium of power in the

Challenged the Hegemonic Stability Theory

Hegemony is a discursive order, i.e. it consists of a set of practices that

GREAT POWER SYSTEM

Coilation of States that coordinate together to accomplish some goals.

The Prisoners Dilemma

Well try to understand the concept through an example.

Prisoners dilemma is a non-zero sum game.

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