Securitizing Balance of Power Theory

A Polymorphic Reconceptualization

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.