History’s Lesson: The Balance of Power Needed to Deter China’s Aggression

China's aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, sailing with other ships, holds a "live combat drill" in the East China Sea on April 23, 2018. A show of force by Beijing's burgeoning navy in disputed waters has riled neighbors. AFP via Getty Images

Commentary

The balance of power is a defining historical feature of international politics dating to the ancient Greeks in the West and the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.–A.D. 220) in China. The logic of the balance of power is that each great power is threatened by others precisely because it has the power to be a threat to its survival. Its logic is as relevant today as in the past.

The Logic and History of the Balance of Power

To provide security for itself, the great power builds its military power to advance and protect its interests. As its own military power is not likely to be sufficient to meet the threats it faces, it must also enlist allies who share the same opponents. The consequence of arming and forging alliances is that military power among the great powers will likely be equal. Fundamentally, each will perceive the other as its principal threat.