Balance of Power in International Relations - Balance of Threat

Balance of Threat

Further information: Balance of threat

The Balance of Threat theory is an offshoot of the balancing, coined in 1985 by Stephen M. Walt in an attempt to explain why balancing against rising hegemons hasn’t always been consistent in history. In contrast to traditional balance of power theorists, Walt suggests that states balance against threats rather than against power alone. The balance of threat theory acknowledges that power is an extremely important factor in the level of threat posed by a state, but also includes geographic proximity, offensive capabilities, and perceived intentions.

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