Interstate System Structure

International Relations The Interstate System Structure of Relationships

Introduction to Interstate System Structure

Throughout the history of the interstate system, the relationships between nations have been structured in various ways, depending on how power was distributed among them. For example, power may be concentrated in one or two nations, which then set and enforce the rules for other countries. The predominance of one nation is called hegemony. Historical examples of hegemony include Great Britain after 1815 and the United States after 1945-periods when these nations were the most powerful in the world, dominating trade and military relationships.

Power may also be distributed more equally among a half-dozen great powers and other somewhat weaker nations. In this case, alliances between nations play a crucial role in structuring their interactions. Power can also be distributed relatively equally among nations or alliances of nations. This is called a balance of power. Some scholars and political leaders believe that peace is best preserved this way because no one nation can win a war easily. The evidence for this theory, however, is not strong. The opposite proposition, called power transition theory, has more support. This theory suggests that peace is most likely when one nation predominates, or when two opposing but equally powerful nations do. In this theory, major wars are likely when a challenger starts to surpass a dominant nation in power.” (1)

Resources

Notes and References

• Information about Interstate System Structure in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia

Guide to Interstate System Structure