THE COLLAPSE OF THE

BALANCE OF POWER IN EUROPE

ERAY ARIK 2008636009 DEPARTMENT

OF IR

THE OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION

Part I) The reasons of the WWIThe Process of starting the WWI: The

Assassination of Archduke Franz FerdinandThe Real Reason of the WWI: the Balance of

Power and the Descriptions of Balance of Power

Part II) How did the Balance of Power collapse in Europe?The Role of Prussia in the Balance of Power

Otto von Bismarck and His political Strategy: Realpolitic

The Completing of Political Unity of German Part III) Conclusion: The Collapse of

Balance of Power in Europe

• The date is on June 28, 1914.

• Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was visiting to Sarajevo with her wife,

Princess Sophie von Hohenberg.

• Franz Ferdinand and his wife were killed by Gavrilo Princip at approximately 01.15 p.m. On Sunday.

•After this assassination, a big war called WWI started in 1914.

•What was real reason of this war? Was Archduke Franz Ferdinand killed by Gavrilo Princip? Or what

else were there reasons?

THE REASONS OF THE WW1

Industrialization, Searching raw materials and new

markets, Political and economic competition,Arms race,Unified Germany and Unified Italy,Nationalism,The blocs of some states: the Allies

(Triple Entente) and Central Powers (Alliance) and so forth…

FROM THE REASONS TO THE TRUTHS!

All of these are a reason of this horrible war. But are these real reasons of the World War 1, according to you?

What was real and general reason which caused this war? Real and general reason of this war was that the balance of power in Europe collapsed.

Ok, what is the balance of power that time?

WE CAN MAKE DİFFERENT DESCRİPTİONS OF THE BALANCE OF POWER.

A situation in which political or military strength is shared evenly. (the description of Longman Dictionary)

A phrase in international law for such a "just equilibrium" between the members of the family of nations as should prevent any one of them from becoming sufficiently strong to enforce its will upon the rest. (the Britannica Encyclopaedia, 11th edition)

A doctrine and an arrangement whereby the power of one state or group of states is checked by the countervailing power of other states. (Robert H. Jackson, The Evolution of International Society, page 36)

In international relations, a balance of power exists when there is parity or stability between competing forces. As a term in international law for a 'just equilibrium' between the members of the family of nations, it expresses the doctrine intended to prevent any one nation from becoming sufficiently strong so as to enable it to enforce its will upon the rest. (Balance of Power in International Relations, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Balance of Power was founded by

these leaders in Europe.

And they conducted the policies to protect

this balance. I am going to tell you how the

Balance of Power

collapsed.

THE ROLE OF PRUSSIA IN THE BALANCE OF POWER IN EUROPE

OTTO VON BISMARCK AND HIS POLITICAL STRATEGIES

Otto von Bismarck is important for the role of Prussia in the balance of

power like Klemens Wenzel von Metternich for the role of Austria in the balance of

power.

Otto von Bismarck who provided to transform to a powerful empire from a

confederation of Germany in 19th century was the first chancellor. Otto von Bismarck who has the Count of

Schönhausen and the Duke of Lauenburg tried to found New

Germany with the blood and iron. That’s why; the iron chancellor was

given to Bismarck.

When Wilhelm I, who became the King of Prussia in January, 1861 wanted to increase the expenditure regarding to military, the liberals in the Prussia Parliament didn’t allow him. So William I appointed Bismarck as the chancellor. Bismarck who started to work as the chancellor on September 22, 1862 said at the parliament that big problems would be solved with just the blood and iron. And he conducted the policies regarding to this. After this event, Bismarck dissolved the parliament and he said that he hadn’t recognize any power outside of the King.

Bismarck who supported Tsarist Russia at the revolt in Poland tried to correct the relationships with Russia. After that he signed a trade agreement with France. This agreement was also effective for other German Princes which were governed by Prussia. So Austria stayed out of this agreement. Bismarck who wanted to found the Unified Germany started a war to Denmark with Austria in the name of German Confederation. Schleswig and Holstein which were German the majority of the population were taken from Denmark. Schleswig was annexed by Prussia and Holstein was annexed by Austria.

The next year Bismarck occupied Holstein after he persuaded France and Tsarist Russia to be neutral. Then he notified that German Confederation had ended and he entered to Bohemia with the armies of Prussia. In 1866 Austrian armies were beaten in Sadowa. However, Bismarck didn’t go onto them with his armies. In fact, he has power enough to arrive at Vienna. But he knew that he could need Austria in the future. After the war, with a treaty Austria was expelled from the Northern German Confederation which the leader was Prussia.

During these skirmishes, Bismarck went onto the princes who didn’t want to recognise the authority of Prussia and he occupied the lands of them. In the result of these, the first stage was succeeded to be founded a Unified Germany by unifying the German Princes under a federation. After that a parliament called Reichstag which the members were elected by the community established. Besides Federal Council that members were appointed by every German Princes founded. Its name is Bundesrat.

Bismarck wanted to occupy France but he didn’t have any reasons to war with it. In 1870 the King of France wanted to give up the rights regarding

to the throne of Spain and to be appointed Leopold as the king of Spain from the King of

Prussia, Wilhelm II. This was an opportunity for Bismarck. After he provided that Austria and Tsarist Russia were neutral with intelligent diplomacy, he started a war to France. The

armies of King Napoleon III were defeated at the Battle of Sedan in 1870. France gave Alsace and Lorraine to Germany with the Treaty of Frankfurt in 1871. So France lost Alsace and Lorraine which

was one of the reasons of the WWI. Besides, Bismarck had already succeeded to take under

the authority of Germany Southern German Princes who didn’t join the Unity of Germany.

Therefore the Unity of Germany was completed in the result of the Sedan Victory.

Bismarck who applied different diplomacy by making complicated agreements and

alliances in the foreign policy made a reality his dream of Unified Germany. He used

realpolitic to succeed this.

A main objective of Bismarck was to prevent other major powers allying with France.

REALPOLITIC

Realpolitic refers to try to reach by depending on realities and facts instead of any ideals or theorems. This term is German and the name father of

realpolitic is Otto von Bismarck. But now it passed to other languages as a term of foreign policy.

Realpolitic was described differently. Another description is that politics or diplomacy based primarily on practical considerations,

rather than ideological notions or moralistic premises. In this respect, it shares aspects of its philosophical approach with those of realism and pragmatism. The term realpolitic that is often used

pejoratively to imply politics that are coercive, amoral, or Machiavellian is a theory of politics that focuses on considerations

of power, not ideals, morals, or principles.

According to Rodrigo Borja, realpolitic defines as the principle on which nations act, in their foreign policies that are driven by their own interests instead of altruism, friendship, idealism or solidarity

considerations and power has a decisive role in international relations.

People or states who apply realpolitic protect the interests of their countries and they consider that others would do the same

thing. The person who applied this policy the best was Otto von Bismarck. He used realpolitic mercilessly to found Unified

Germany. Nowadays the USA has been using realpolitic the best.

These are important points: if a state wants to use realpolitic, it

must be powerful at both of domestic and foreign policies. Because the states that are

powerful at the Foreign Policy can be effective on other states.

Besides, the pressures of public opinion prevent that only the aim of

the state is the interests of it.  

CONCLUSION: THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE REALPOLITIC TO WELTPOLITIC AND the WWI

Friedrich III became the emperor when Wilhelm I died in March 1888. After Friedrich III died,

Wilhelm II became the emperor. Wilhelm II and the rulers who

were appointed as the chancellor after Otto von

Bismarck commented realpolitic mistakenly and Realpolitic transformed to weltpolitic.

According to them, the security of Germany depended on that

Germany must become powerful. Germany which got stronger at the military field started to become a

threat in Middle Europe for other states of Europe. The desires of Germany regarding to becoming strong in the sea and getting

colonies damaged the relationships between Germany and the UK. Because of Alsace-Lorraine that were taken by Germany from France

with Sedan War, the relationships between Germany and France harmed. Lastly, Russia wasn’t pleased that Germany supported

Austria in the Balkans.

When Germany and Italy completed their political unity, the Balance of Power had already collapsed. Then, Powerful

Germany in Middle Europe reminded to European States Holly Roman Empire and Napoleon Bonaparte that wanted to

govern all of Europe. The European States which was afraid of this began to take up arms against Germany and tried to

increase their military power. Founding the alliances between states completely destroyed the balance of power. The

alliances in Middle Ages were more flexible. A state could join any alliance by separating from another when that state

wanted and so the balance was been protecting.

When the activities of mobilization of states for a general war

left diplomacy to a side, the states needed only one reason for starting of

this general war. Archduke Franz Ferdinand gave this reason to

European States. The assassination of him in Sarajevo became the fire which

started the war. Together with industrialization, the

necessity of raw materials and markets and nationalism, the collapse of a four-

hundred-year-old the balance was more effective on starting the WWI.

Unified Germany and Unified Italy sped up this process.

Real reason of WWII which occurred in 1939, in fact, is the balance of power. Because after

the WWI, this balance couldn’t be established again. The Treaty of

Versailles sped up this process. John Maynard Keynes had already realized the importance of the balance. In Versailles Congress he said to the participants that

if we wanted to protect Europe as a whole, we need Germany. He was right.

Some years later, in 1929, Great Depression happened. After that the

WWII occurred in 1939. The Balance of Power could be established again after

the Cold War.

Was the Balance of Power really

established again after the Cold

War?

BIBLIOGRAPHY1. Henry Kissinger, Diplomacy, Tükiye İş

Bankası Kültür Edition, page 95-130 ; 130-162 ; 162-195 and 195-212.

2. Oral Sander, Political History, Until 1918 from Ancient Times, page 220-225 ; 245-247 ; 251-254.

tr.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org turkcebilgi.com bibilgi.com britannia.com sozluk.net

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