lOMoARcPSD|17375464
Power as a concept of national interest
Internal relation (KCA University)
Scan to open on Studocu
Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university
Downloaded by Anonymous Granny ()
, lOMoARcPSD|17375464
Introduction
UNIT 2 BASIC CONCEPTS: ELEMENTS OF
NATIONAL POWER, NATIONAL
INTEREST, BALANCE OF POWER
AND COLLECTIVE SECURITY*
Structure
2.0 Objectives
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The Idea of National Power
2.2.1 Elements
2.2.2 Limitations
2.3 Understanding National Interest
2.3.1 Components
2.3.2 Classification
2.3.3 Methods of Securing National Interest
2.4 Balance of Power
2.4.1 Meaning
2.4.2 Nature
2.4.3 History
2.4.4 Methods
2.4.5 Critical Evaluation
2.4.6 Is Balance of Power Still Relevant?
2.5 Collective Security
2.5.1 Definition
2.5.2 Chief Features
2.5.3 UN Collective Security Concept
2.5.4 Critical Evaluation
2.6 Let Us Sum up
2.7 References
2.8 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises
2.0 OBJECTIVES
In this Unit, you will be studying about the four major elements that are basic to
the understanding of International Relations (IR). After going through this Unit,
you should be able to understand the meaning and importance of:
National Power
National Interest
Balance of Power and
Collective Security
*
Dr. Mithila Bagai, Dept. of Political Science, Maitreyi College, University of Delhi, New Delhi
24
Downloaded by Anonymous Granny ()
, lOMoARcPSD|17375464
Basic Concepts: Elements of
2.1 INTRODUCTION National Power, National
Interest, Collective Security,
Balance of Power
Every state works towards enhancing its national interest by securing more
national power. Problem arises when a state solely thinks about its interests at
the cost of other state’s security. When every state is out to maximize its national
interest, it often causes disruption in the international peace and harmony. To
maximize its national interest yet minimize the risk of conflict, there evolved in
the international system the Balance of Power (BoP) – a mechanism to prevent
the outbreak of war. Then there is the principle of Collective Security. United
Nations in its Charter has sanctioned the use of collective security to prevent a
state from aggression. In this Unit, we will be discussing four important governing
components of international system namely National Power; National Interest;
Balance of Power; and Collective Security.
2.2 THE IDEA OF NATIONAL POWER
National Power is an important component in international politics. Amidst
absence of a central, regulatory international mechanism, every state secures its
national interests by asserting national power. Hans Morgenthau defines national
power as “A psychological relation between those who exercise it and those
over whom it is exercised. It gives the former control over certain actions of the
latter, through the influence that the former exerts over the latter’s mind.” Georg
Shwarzenberger explains further: “The power is the capacity to impose one’s
will on other by reliance on effective sanctions in the case of noncompliance.”
Here, he adds the idea of punishment in case of noncompliance. A.F.K. Organski
explains national power as “the ability to influence the behaviour of other in
accordance with one’s own end.” Charles says power is “The ability to make a
man to do what one wants and not to do what one does not want.”
William Ebenstein broadly defines it as, “more than the sum total of population,
raw-material and quantitative factors. It includes its civil devotion, the flexibility
of its institutions, its technical know-how, its national character or quantitative
elements that determine the total strength of a nation.” In brief, National Power
is the ability or capability of a nation to secure the goals and objectives of its
national interests in relation with other nations. It involves the capacity to use
force or threat of use of force or influence over others for securing the goals of
national interest. National power of a country depends on myriad factors. Frankel
calls these factors as capabilities or capability factors. It is also termed as
‘determinants of national power’ or factors/elements of national power.
2.2.1 Elements of National Power
Hans Morgenthau has grouped elements of national power under permanent and
temporary elements. Organski has classified it into two: natural determinants
and social determinants. Natural determinants include geography, resources and
population; and social determinants include economic development, political
structures and national morale. Palmer and Perkins and several others make a
distinction between tangible and intangible elements of national power. Tangible
elements are composed of elements that can be assessed in quantitative terms
like economic development, resources, geography, population and technology.
And intangible elements are non-quantitative such as ideational and psychological
factors like ideology, morale, leadership, personality and quality of diplomacy. 25
Downloaded by Anonymous Granny ()
Power as a concept of national interest
Internal relation (KCA University)
Scan to open on Studocu
Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university
Downloaded by Anonymous Granny ()
, lOMoARcPSD|17375464
Introduction
UNIT 2 BASIC CONCEPTS: ELEMENTS OF
NATIONAL POWER, NATIONAL
INTEREST, BALANCE OF POWER
AND COLLECTIVE SECURITY*
Structure
2.0 Objectives
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The Idea of National Power
2.2.1 Elements
2.2.2 Limitations
2.3 Understanding National Interest
2.3.1 Components
2.3.2 Classification
2.3.3 Methods of Securing National Interest
2.4 Balance of Power
2.4.1 Meaning
2.4.2 Nature
2.4.3 History
2.4.4 Methods
2.4.5 Critical Evaluation
2.4.6 Is Balance of Power Still Relevant?
2.5 Collective Security
2.5.1 Definition
2.5.2 Chief Features
2.5.3 UN Collective Security Concept
2.5.4 Critical Evaluation
2.6 Let Us Sum up
2.7 References
2.8 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises
2.0 OBJECTIVES
In this Unit, you will be studying about the four major elements that are basic to
the understanding of International Relations (IR). After going through this Unit,
you should be able to understand the meaning and importance of:
National Power
National Interest
Balance of Power and
Collective Security
*
Dr. Mithila Bagai, Dept. of Political Science, Maitreyi College, University of Delhi, New Delhi
24
Downloaded by Anonymous Granny ()
, lOMoARcPSD|17375464
Basic Concepts: Elements of
2.1 INTRODUCTION National Power, National
Interest, Collective Security,
Balance of Power
Every state works towards enhancing its national interest by securing more
national power. Problem arises when a state solely thinks about its interests at
the cost of other state’s security. When every state is out to maximize its national
interest, it often causes disruption in the international peace and harmony. To
maximize its national interest yet minimize the risk of conflict, there evolved in
the international system the Balance of Power (BoP) – a mechanism to prevent
the outbreak of war. Then there is the principle of Collective Security. United
Nations in its Charter has sanctioned the use of collective security to prevent a
state from aggression. In this Unit, we will be discussing four important governing
components of international system namely National Power; National Interest;
Balance of Power; and Collective Security.
2.2 THE IDEA OF NATIONAL POWER
National Power is an important component in international politics. Amidst
absence of a central, regulatory international mechanism, every state secures its
national interests by asserting national power. Hans Morgenthau defines national
power as “A psychological relation between those who exercise it and those
over whom it is exercised. It gives the former control over certain actions of the
latter, through the influence that the former exerts over the latter’s mind.” Georg
Shwarzenberger explains further: “The power is the capacity to impose one’s
will on other by reliance on effective sanctions in the case of noncompliance.”
Here, he adds the idea of punishment in case of noncompliance. A.F.K. Organski
explains national power as “the ability to influence the behaviour of other in
accordance with one’s own end.” Charles says power is “The ability to make a
man to do what one wants and not to do what one does not want.”
William Ebenstein broadly defines it as, “more than the sum total of population,
raw-material and quantitative factors. It includes its civil devotion, the flexibility
of its institutions, its technical know-how, its national character or quantitative
elements that determine the total strength of a nation.” In brief, National Power
is the ability or capability of a nation to secure the goals and objectives of its
national interests in relation with other nations. It involves the capacity to use
force or threat of use of force or influence over others for securing the goals of
national interest. National power of a country depends on myriad factors. Frankel
calls these factors as capabilities or capability factors. It is also termed as
‘determinants of national power’ or factors/elements of national power.
2.2.1 Elements of National Power
Hans Morgenthau has grouped elements of national power under permanent and
temporary elements. Organski has classified it into two: natural determinants
and social determinants. Natural determinants include geography, resources and
population; and social determinants include economic development, political
structures and national morale. Palmer and Perkins and several others make a
distinction between tangible and intangible elements of national power. Tangible
elements are composed of elements that can be assessed in quantitative terms
like economic development, resources, geography, population and technology.
And intangible elements are non-quantitative such as ideational and psychological
factors like ideology, morale, leadership, personality and quality of diplomacy. 25
Downloaded by Anonymous Granny ()
