Offshore balancing
Encyclopedia
Offshore balancing is a strategic concept used in realist analysis in international relations
. The term describes a strategy where a great power
uses favored regional powers to check the rise of potential hostile powers.
It arguably permits a great power to maintain its power without the costs of large military deployments around the world. It can be seen as the informal-empire analogue to federalism
in formal ones (for instance the proposal for the Imperial Federation
in the late British Empire
)
It was primarily used during the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union.
According to political scientist John Mearsheimer
in his University of Chicago "American Grand Strategy" class, offshore balancing is the strategy used by the United States in the 1930s and also in the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. Mearsheimer argues that when the United States gave Lend-Lease aid to Britain in the 1930s, the U.S. was engaging in offshore balancing by being the arsenal of democracy, not the fighters for it.
This is consistent with offshore balancing because the U.S. initially did not want to commit American lives to the European conflict. The United States supported the losing side (Iraq) in the Iran-Iraq war to prevent the development of a regional hegemon, which could ultimately threaten U.S. influence. Furthermore, offshore balancing can seem like isolationism
when a rough balance of power in international relations
exists, which was the case in the 1930s.
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
. The term describes a strategy where a great power
Great power
A great power is a nation or state that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale. Great powers characteristically possess military and economic strength and diplomatic and cultural influence which may cause small powers to consider the opinions of great powers before taking actions...
uses favored regional powers to check the rise of potential hostile powers.
It arguably permits a great power to maintain its power without the costs of large military deployments around the world. It can be seen as the informal-empire analogue to federalism
Federalism
Federalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and...
in formal ones (for instance the proposal for the Imperial Federation
Imperial Federation
Imperial Federation was a late-19th early-20th century proposal to create a federated union in place of the existing British Empire.-Motivators:...
in the late British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
)
It was primarily used during the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union.
According to political scientist John Mearsheimer
John Mearsheimer
John J. Mearsheimer is an American professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago. He is an international relations theorist. Known for his book on offensive realism, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, more recently Mearsheimer has attracted attention for co-authoring and publishing...
in his University of Chicago "American Grand Strategy" class, offshore balancing is the strategy used by the United States in the 1930s and also in the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. Mearsheimer argues that when the United States gave Lend-Lease aid to Britain in the 1930s, the U.S. was engaging in offshore balancing by being the arsenal of democracy, not the fighters for it.
This is consistent with offshore balancing because the U.S. initially did not want to commit American lives to the European conflict. The United States supported the losing side (Iraq) in the Iran-Iraq war to prevent the development of a regional hegemon, which could ultimately threaten U.S. influence. Furthermore, offshore balancing can seem like isolationism
Isolationism
Isolationism is the policy or doctrine of isolating one's country from the affairs of other nations by declining to enter into alliances, foreign economic commitments, international agreements, etc., seeking to devote the entire efforts of one's country to its own advancement and remain at peace by...
when a rough balance of power in international relations
Balance of power in international relations
In international relations, a balance of power exists when there is parity or stability between competing forces. The concept describes a state of affairs in the international system and explains the behavior of states in that system...
exists, which was the case in the 1930s.