Publication date:
23 December 2011Length of book:
328 pagesPublisher
Lexington BooksDimensions:
240x164mm6x9"
ISBN-13: 9780739170717
Securitizing Balance of Power Theory: A Polymorphic Reconceptualization by Ilai Z. Saltzman examines different reactions to changes in the balance of power and the way different states formulate their grand strategies in order to engage these changes. Saltzman offers a neoclassical realist interpretation of the balance of power theory, making the case for a more inclusive theory which considers balance of security as well. The text empirically examines this new theory using two sets of historical cases: the British and Soviet responses to Nazi Germany, and the American and Chinese responses to the rise of Imperialist Japan, both during the interwar period. The second set of cases considers the Russian, North Korean, Chinese, and European Union’s response to post-Cold War America.
Ilai Saltzman’s Securitizing Balance of Power Theory is placed at the center of the debate on balancing and balance of power theory. Using a neoclassical realist approach and a rich understanding of realism, Saltzman’s balance of security theory presents a cogent argument that a state’s grand strategy is the product of threat perception and resource extractive capacity. This study’s novel and nuanced argument offers a plausible explanation for the divergent grand strategies of Britain, Russia, the Soviet Union, North Korea, the United States, and the European Union. Both international relations scholars and diplomatic historians are sure to enjoy the rich discussion of realism, the historical narrative, and the policy insights.