Polarity, Balance of Power and International Relations Theory: Post-Cold War and the 19th Century Co

Chapter 2: Polarity: the emergence and development of a concept. 8

Polarity thinking during the Cold War and after. 9<

Polarity: metaphor and scientific concept. 11

Polarity definitions in IR theory: the influence of Kenneth Waltz. 13

Cluster polarity. 15

Power polarity: hierarchic and numeric definitions. 19

Polarity and power definitions and relations between powers. 29

Polarity, international systems and international societies. 31

Conclusion: Different definitions do they really matter?. 33

PART II: POLARITY IN THE COLD WAR, THE 19^TH CENTURY AND TODAY. 36

Chapter 3: The bipolar Cold War and polarity theory. 37

A two superpowers world?. 38

A polarised world: cluster polarity after 1945. 42

Conclusion: The Cold War and polarity thinking. 47

Chapter 4: The 19^th century: multipolar, bipolar or unipolar?. 49

European and global power polarity: some indicators. 52<

Power polarity in 19^th century in Europe. 56

Global polarity in the 19^th century. 62

Great Britain and the British Empire. 65

Conclusion a unipolar world and a balanced' Europe. 71

Cluster polarity in Europe. 72

Conclusions cluster polarity. 80

Chapter 5: Polarity after 1990, a historical comparison. 82

Some problems and omissions in polarity analysis. 84

Power polarity in the 21^st century. 92

Cluster polarity in the 21^st century a mixed Cold War heritage. 99

Unipolarity, balance of power and balancing. 105

Conclusions: a unipolar, bipolar or multipolar world?. 108

PART III: 19^th CENTURY BALANCE OF POWER AND 21^st CENTURY MULTIPOLARITY. 112

Chapter 6: The French multipolarity discourse. 113

Introduction: Balance of power and polarity, past and present. 113

The French multipolar discourse. 115

Multipolarity: actual facts and developments in the French discourse. 120

Multipolarity and stability in the French discourse. 121

Multipolarity, great power governance and multilateralism.. 124

Multipolarity and regional blocs. 125

Power concepts in the French discourse. 134

Cultural power and international pluralism.. 135

Conclusions: multipolarity in the French discourse. 136

Chapter 7: American hegemony, empire and unipolarity. 139

Unipolarity, hegemony and empire, 1990-2008. 139

The year 2008 as the turning point in the American discourse. 147

Conclusion and comparison with the French multipolar discourse. 154

Chapter 8: Polarity, balance of power and universal monarchy. 157

Differences between balance of power and multipolarity discourse. 157

Balance of power as an equal distribution of power. 159

Balance of power and great power status. 160

Balance of power, economic power, military force and war. 162

Balance of power, universal monarchy and (political) pluralism.. 163

Balance of power and cultural pluralism.. 165

Balance of power, the rule of law and the Concert of Europe. 165

Balance of power, peace and stability. 166

Conclusions: multipolarity, hegemony and balance of power. 167

PART IV: CONCLUSIONS, THE RELEVANCE OF POLARITY THEORY?. 172

Polarity as a structural defining element in Neorealist theory. 172

Balance of power and polarity in the public political discourse. 178

Notes. 181

Bibliography. 184

Index. 202