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Power politics, again

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Explaining Euro-Paralysis

Part of the book series: St Antony’s Series ((STANTS))

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Abstract

As Martin Wight used to say: “Power politics is a colloquial phrase for international politics.”1 And today in Europe we see power politics at their height. Released from Cold War constraints, European states have returned to a familiar pattern of struggling for power, primacy, even hegemony within the region. Everything now seems to be up for grabs in an increasingly anarchic continent where the rules of self interest have come to the fore once more. With this comes the old Hobbesian fear, as small states fear large states and large states fear each other. The search for security through a new balance of power promises only to bring about new conflicts and new alliances. In short, there is no point in hoping for a common foreign and security policy within the European Union.

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Notes

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. European University Institute, Florence, Italy

    Jan Zielonka (Professor of Political Science)

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© 1998 Jan Zielonka

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Zielonka, J. (1998). Power politics, again. In: Explaining Euro-Paralysis. St Antony’s Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230372849_2

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