National Security Concern of Superpower, Middle Power and Small Powers

Introduction

There has been no uniformity in world politics. The international system which is anarchial is dominated by states that are militarily and economically more advanced and stable. This hierarchy of power also decides their influence on the decision making in international politics. Despite this. the sovereignty of any country remains at the top of the list. This allows the countries to pursue policies that are best for their state security. Hence, every country has their own major concern about security as per their geostrategic location and internal situation. Most of the security studies literature has been written using theoretical lens or particular paradigmatic perspective like Regional Security Complex theorists, Neoclassical realist, Liberal scholars. In the comparative time we cannot address National Security solely from the military perspective. Issues are more globalised, complex and interconnected. Security goes beyond State’s Strategic interest and includes economic, cyber, environmental security etc, that in the international system cannot be viewed in isolation by one state but rather requires joint efforts. War on terror, a global USA led military campaign to counterterrorism after 9/11 attack, which was seen as major security threat to America, is just one example.  

Nevertheless, the participation of the states will also depend on where the particular security issues stand in the national security priority list of every individually country thus determining their course of action. The states are divided into three groups based on the power they have in the international system, Superpower, middle power and small power. Power in the state system has both characteristics of concentration and diffusion of power. The security threat faced by international community apart from traditional security threat includes migration, refugees, climate, health etc.  While Superpowers are focused on expanding their influence, Middle power are focused on maintain the status quo and the small power are focused on survival. 

Navigating the Realm of Superpowers: A Closer Look

Superpower is the most dominating state in the international community. They possess military and economic might.  Their stand can’t be ignored mainly because of their military capabilities. After World War II, USSR and USA were major superpowers of the world led to creation of a bipolar world.  Security threats were only conceived from states with equal military strength. USA viewed USSR as the primary security threat due to equal military superiority that both the nation possessed. 

Furthermore a strong economy enables superpower to shape the world affairs in favour of their own foreign and domestic policies. Soviet Union’s military and political approach was rooted in its communist ideology. The severest threat to the security of the United States during the cold war era was from the hostile designs and formidable power of the USSR. United States Objectives and Programs for National Security (NSC68) was 66-page secret NSC policy paper which was drafted by Department of state and Department of Defence in 1950 outlined a variety of possible courses of action, including a return to isolationism; war; continued diplomatic efforts to negotiate with the Soviets; or “the rapid building up of the political, economic, and military strength of the free world.” USA chose the latter to safeguard itself from being marooned on the Western Hemisphere, cut off from the allies and resources it needed to fend off further Soviet encroachments. Isolating itself would have only made USA economically weak preventing it from strengthen its defence system. Hence, USA only increased its involvement in the International Politics. 

President Harry S. Truman even after Soviet Union become nuclear power wanted to curb the military expenditure but still did not reject NSC but rather asked for the cost involved and with the Korean War the above mentioned draft again gained importance. 

 Nuclear weapons were and still are another major concern of United States. USA’s alleging Iran and pulling out of Iran Nuclear deal is one of the recent examples. It was but the non-state actor, the terrorist organisation that has shock the US to its core with 9/11 attack which was conducted despite the limited availability of the resources.  Since then, USA has engaged itself with conflicts in the global south to fight terrorism with major concern centred around protecting nuclear weapons from getting in the hands of the non-state actors. 

In conclusion, superpowers usually protect themselves by extending their influence either overtly or covertly which is the reason that USA extensively provides Foreign Aid to other states to have an upper hand on them in the international system and maintain its hegemony. 

The Role of Middle Powers in Fostering Global Stability

These states are committed to orderliness and security in the world system. Middle power are states that are neither great nor small in international power, capacity and influence and demonstrate a propensity to promote cohesion and stability in the world system.  Their involvement is not limited to military and political conflict/ instability but also with endemic instability with stronger economic origin.The reason that they look forward to stable international community is because they follow multilateral interaction system. It can be recognized through its foreign policy their proclivity for seeking multilateral solution to international problems, for advocating compromise, for being part of solution in international problems.  

Middle powers located in regions characterized by high war expectations (“conflict formations”) and critical geostrategic location to a larger extend pursue collective balance of power strategies and develop military capacities related to national defence.  The alignment strategies used by middle power are balance of power, band wagoning, isolation and hedging focusing only on diplomatic practices means.  All the middle power belonging to same Regional Security Complex has similarities in their security concerns and military strategies. India, Japan, South Korea face security threat from increasing problem of China due to its growing power and control over Asia Pacific region. Though these three middle powers do not have large impact on international system, working together through multilateral mechanism along with balance of power in the Asia Pacific region.  Similarly, in the West Asia, Israel has achieved dominance in terms of economic and military capabilities and with Saudi aligning with it and recognising it as state , it is Turkey and Iran that balance Israel’s influence in the region. 

Navigating the Challenges of Small Powers in the International Arena

These countries are limited in their resources in all the aspects like economy, military and even political stability is always at risk.  Their dependence upon large power and middle power also makes them vulnerable to other states. There is always a fear of being subjected to sanctions by the larger powers hence avoid using military force for solving any conflict rather they submit to the foreign policies of the states that they are dependent on for their survival.  Out of all the three powers, small power has maximum amount of security threats both internal and external. According to the economic shelter theory, small powers states seek assistance in order to involve itself with the global economy. They usually rely on foreign aid from to invest in their own country and create opportunity for trade.

 In Accordance with the Political Shelter theory, they have weak military arrangements and hence they seek military protection from larger powers.  United States being a superpower still continues to be the largest provider of Foreign Aid in the world.  Despite being secure from the external threat, they are never really secure due its vulnerability to its investors. They can be used as the battle ground by the larger power, like Afghanistan was used by Russia and USA in the cold war period. This conflicts that are created generate more security threats like:

• Increase in level and scope of violence

• Extended duration of instability

• Refugee flow within and across border

• Potential for interstate hostility. 

Small powers due to their limited resources and dependence on the larger power are stuck in the perpetual cycle of vulnerability in the international system. Refugees created by war are mostly held by these countries and though they can keep put forward their views in front of international community they can’t retaliate to lower their burden to defend itself from the larger power. The population weight along with the across border refuge transit into other non-traditional security issues like health, employment, environmental which in turns create instability in the region making it difficult for the state to rise to become middle power or superpower.

Conclusion

To sum up, the complex interplay between power and vulnerability highlights the varied functions performed by superpowers, middle powers, and smaller powers in determining world affairs. Small powers balance dependency and autonomy in a precarious way, while middle powers aim for unity and stability and superpowers have unmatched influence. The way that economic, military, and political factors interact within the international system is determined by their interplay, which frequently leads to intricate webs of dependencies and alliances. Nevertheless, despite these obstacles, the pursuit of security and stability continues to be a global goal, motivating countries of all sizes to look for diplomatic solutions and strategic alliances. Understanding the subtleties of power dynamics and vulnerabilities is crucial as we navigate the complexity of the modern world in order to promote cooperation, reduce conflict, and create a more resilient and equitable global community.

 

References

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Barry Buzan 1991, New pattern in Global Security in 21st century, International Affairs (Royal Institution Affairs) Vol 67 No. 3, pp  431-451

Prakash Panneerselvam, 2016, Advancing India’s Relationship with Japan and South Korea: Quest for Middle power cooperation, Institution of Peace and Conflict Studies. 

Hakam Edstrom and Jacob Westberg, The defense strategies of middle powers: Competing for security, influence and status in an era of unipolar demise, Comparative Strategy, Vol 39, 2020