The Balance of power – Morgenthau
The aspiration for power on the part of several nations. each trying either to maintain or overthrow
the status quo. leads of necessity to a configuration that is called the balance of powerl and to
policies that aim at preserving it.
It will be shown in the following pages that the international balance of power is only a particular
manifestation of a general social principle to which all societies composed of a number of
autonomous units owe the autonomy of their component parts: that the balance of power and
policies aiming at its preservation are not only inevitable but are an essential stabil izing factor in a
society of sovereign nations: and that the instability of the interna tional balance of power is due
not to the faultiness of the principle but to the particular conditions under which the principle must
operate in a society of sovereign nations.
Balance of power as universal concept
The concept of "equilibrium" as a synonym for "balance" is commonly employed in many
sciences-physics. biology. economics. sociology. and political science. It signifies stability within a
system composed of a number of autonomous forces. Whenever the equilibrium is disturbed either
by an outside force or by a change in one or the other elements composing the system. the system
shows a tendency to re-establish either the origi nal or a new equilibrium.
Two assumptions are at the foundation of all such equilibriums:
o That the elements to be balanced are necessary for society or are entitled to exist.
o That without a state of equilibrium among them one element will gain ascendancy over
the others. encroach upon their interests and rights, and may ultimately destroy them.
Consequently. it is the purpose of all such equilibriums to maintain the stability of
the system without destroying the multiplicity of the elements composing it. If the
goal were stability alone. it could be achieved by allowing one element to destroy
or overwhelm the others and take their place. Since the goal is stability plus the
preservation of all the elements of the system. the equilibrium must aim at
preventing any element from gaining ascendancy over the others. The means
employed to maintain the equilibrium consist in allowing the different elements to
pursue their opposing tendencies up to the point where the tendency of one is not
so strong as to overcome the tendency of the others, but strong enough to prevent
the others from overcoming its own.
Two main patterns of the balance of power
Two factors are at the basis of international society: one is the multiplicity. the other is the antagonism of
its elements, the individual nations. The aspirations for power of the individual nations can come into
conflict with each other-and some, if not most of them, do at any particular moment in history-in two
different ways. In other words, the struggle for power on the international scene can be carried on in two
typical patterns.
The pattern of direct opposition
Nation A may embark upon an imperialistic policy with regard to Nation B.
Nation B may counter that policy with a policy of the status quo or with an imperialistic policy
of its own.
o France and its allies opposing Russia in 1812,
1
, o Japan opposing China from 1931 to 1941.
o The United Nations vs. the Axis from 1941 on. correspond to that pattern.
The pattern is one of direct opposition between the nation that wants to
establish its power over another nation and the latter. which refuses to yield.
Nation A may also pursue an imperialistic policy toward Nation C, which may either resist or
acquiesce in that policy, while Nation B follows with regard to Nation C either a policy of
imperialism or one of the status quo. In this case. the domination of C is a goal of A's policy. B, on
the other hand. is opposed to A's policy because it either wants to preserve the status quo with
respect to C or wants the domination of C for itself.
o The pattern of the struggle for power between A and B is here not one of direct
opposition, but of competition, the object of which is the domination of C.
o It is only through the intermediary of that competition that the contest for power between
A and B takes place.
This pattern is visible, for instance, in the competition between Great Britain and
Russia for the domination of Iran. in which the struggle for power between the
two countries has repeatedly manifested itself during the last hundred years.
It is in situations such as these that the balance of power operates and fulfills its typical functions.
o In the pattern of direct opposition, the balance of power results directly from the desire of
either nation to see its policies prevail over the policies of the other.
A tries to increase its power in relation to B to such an extent that it can control
the decisions of B and thus lead its imperialistic policy to success.
B, on the other hand, will try to increase its power to such an extent that it can
resist A's pressure and thus frustrate A's policy, or else embark upon an
imperialistic policy of its own with a chance for success. In the latter case, A
must. in turn, increase its power in order to be able to resist B's imperialistic
policy and to pursue its own with a chance for success.
This balancing of opposing force!', will go on. the increase in the power
of one nation calling forth an at least proportionate increase in the power
of the other. until the nations concerned change the objectives of their
imperialistic policies--if they do not give them up altogether-or until one
nation gains or believes it has gained a decisive advantage over the other.
Then either the weaker yields to the stronger or war decides the issue.
So long as the balance of power operates successfully in such a situation. it fulfills two functions.
o It creates a precarious stability in the relations between the respective nations. A stabiIity
that is always in danger of being disturbed and. Therefore, is always in need of being
restored. This is, however, the only stability obtainable under the assumed conditions of
the power pattern. For we are here in the presence of an inevitable inner contradiction of
the balance of power. One of the two functions the balance of power is supposed to fulfill
is stability in the power relations among nations; yet these relations are. as we have seen.
by their very nature subject to continuous change. They are essentially unstable. Since the
weights that determine the relative position of the scales have a tendency to change
continuously by growing either heavier or lighter. Whatever stability the balance of power
2
The aspiration for power on the part of several nations. each trying either to maintain or overthrow
the status quo. leads of necessity to a configuration that is called the balance of powerl and to
policies that aim at preserving it.
It will be shown in the following pages that the international balance of power is only a particular
manifestation of a general social principle to which all societies composed of a number of
autonomous units owe the autonomy of their component parts: that the balance of power and
policies aiming at its preservation are not only inevitable but are an essential stabil izing factor in a
society of sovereign nations: and that the instability of the interna tional balance of power is due
not to the faultiness of the principle but to the particular conditions under which the principle must
operate in a society of sovereign nations.
Balance of power as universal concept
The concept of "equilibrium" as a synonym for "balance" is commonly employed in many
sciences-physics. biology. economics. sociology. and political science. It signifies stability within a
system composed of a number of autonomous forces. Whenever the equilibrium is disturbed either
by an outside force or by a change in one or the other elements composing the system. the system
shows a tendency to re-establish either the origi nal or a new equilibrium.
Two assumptions are at the foundation of all such equilibriums:
o That the elements to be balanced are necessary for society or are entitled to exist.
o That without a state of equilibrium among them one element will gain ascendancy over
the others. encroach upon their interests and rights, and may ultimately destroy them.
Consequently. it is the purpose of all such equilibriums to maintain the stability of
the system without destroying the multiplicity of the elements composing it. If the
goal were stability alone. it could be achieved by allowing one element to destroy
or overwhelm the others and take their place. Since the goal is stability plus the
preservation of all the elements of the system. the equilibrium must aim at
preventing any element from gaining ascendancy over the others. The means
employed to maintain the equilibrium consist in allowing the different elements to
pursue their opposing tendencies up to the point where the tendency of one is not
so strong as to overcome the tendency of the others, but strong enough to prevent
the others from overcoming its own.
Two main patterns of the balance of power
Two factors are at the basis of international society: one is the multiplicity. the other is the antagonism of
its elements, the individual nations. The aspirations for power of the individual nations can come into
conflict with each other-and some, if not most of them, do at any particular moment in history-in two
different ways. In other words, the struggle for power on the international scene can be carried on in two
typical patterns.
The pattern of direct opposition
Nation A may embark upon an imperialistic policy with regard to Nation B.
Nation B may counter that policy with a policy of the status quo or with an imperialistic policy
of its own.
o France and its allies opposing Russia in 1812,
1
, o Japan opposing China from 1931 to 1941.
o The United Nations vs. the Axis from 1941 on. correspond to that pattern.
The pattern is one of direct opposition between the nation that wants to
establish its power over another nation and the latter. which refuses to yield.
Nation A may also pursue an imperialistic policy toward Nation C, which may either resist or
acquiesce in that policy, while Nation B follows with regard to Nation C either a policy of
imperialism or one of the status quo. In this case. the domination of C is a goal of A's policy. B, on
the other hand. is opposed to A's policy because it either wants to preserve the status quo with
respect to C or wants the domination of C for itself.
o The pattern of the struggle for power between A and B is here not one of direct
opposition, but of competition, the object of which is the domination of C.
o It is only through the intermediary of that competition that the contest for power between
A and B takes place.
This pattern is visible, for instance, in the competition between Great Britain and
Russia for the domination of Iran. in which the struggle for power between the
two countries has repeatedly manifested itself during the last hundred years.
It is in situations such as these that the balance of power operates and fulfills its typical functions.
o In the pattern of direct opposition, the balance of power results directly from the desire of
either nation to see its policies prevail over the policies of the other.
A tries to increase its power in relation to B to such an extent that it can control
the decisions of B and thus lead its imperialistic policy to success.
B, on the other hand, will try to increase its power to such an extent that it can
resist A's pressure and thus frustrate A's policy, or else embark upon an
imperialistic policy of its own with a chance for success. In the latter case, A
must. in turn, increase its power in order to be able to resist B's imperialistic
policy and to pursue its own with a chance for success.
This balancing of opposing force!', will go on. the increase in the power
of one nation calling forth an at least proportionate increase in the power
of the other. until the nations concerned change the objectives of their
imperialistic policies--if they do not give them up altogether-or until one
nation gains or believes it has gained a decisive advantage over the other.
Then either the weaker yields to the stronger or war decides the issue.
So long as the balance of power operates successfully in such a situation. it fulfills two functions.
o It creates a precarious stability in the relations between the respective nations. A stabiIity
that is always in danger of being disturbed and. Therefore, is always in need of being
restored. This is, however, the only stability obtainable under the assumed conditions of
the power pattern. For we are here in the presence of an inevitable inner contradiction of
the balance of power. One of the two functions the balance of power is supposed to fulfill
is stability in the power relations among nations; yet these relations are. as we have seen.
by their very nature subject to continuous change. They are essentially unstable. Since the
weights that determine the relative position of the scales have a tendency to change
continuously by growing either heavier or lighter. Whatever stability the balance of power
2
