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If Not Soft Balancing, Then What? --Reconsidering Soft Balancing and U.S. Policy towards China
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If Not Soft Balancing, Then What?
--Reconsidering Soft Balancing and U.S. Policy towards China
Abstract:
Some scholars argue that soft-balancing is a typical state behavior against the hegemon under unipolarity. Others contend that soft balancing against the hegemon is ineffective. We challenge both arguments and suggest that soft balancing is not only a product of specific configurations of power distribution in the system (e.g. unipolarity), but also a rational behavior under another variable—economic dependence. We argue that the interplay of power disparity and economic dependence shape a state’s decision in choosing different balancing strategies. The higher the power disparity and economic dependence, the more likely a state chooses soft balancing to pursue its security. By using U.S. policy towards China after the Cold War as a case study, we suggest that a huge power gap and increasing economic interdependence between the U.S. and China shape U.S. soft balancing rather than hard balancing toward China after the cold war. Future U.S.-China relations depend on (1) whether the U.S. declines as a result of China’s rise; (2) the degree of economic interdependence between China and the United States.
Kai He
Department of Political Science
Arizona State University
Tel: 480-9656551
Email: Kai.## email not listed ##
Huiyun Feng
Department of Political Science
Utah State University
Tel: 435-797-8277
Email: Huiyun.## email not listed ##
Copyright 2006
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Paper prepared for the 102
nd
American Political Science Association Meeting,
Philadelphia, PA, August 31-September 3, 2006
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| | Authors: Feng, Huiyun. and He, Kai. |
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If Not Soft Balancing, Then What?
--Reconsidering Soft Balancing and U.S. Policy towards China
Abstract:
Some scholars argue that soft-balancing is a typical state behavior against the hegemon
under unipolarity. Others contend that soft balancing against the hegemon is ineffective.
We challenge both arguments and suggest that soft balancing is not only a product of
specific configurations of power distribution in the system (e.g. unipolarity), but also a
rational behavior under another variable—economic dependence. We argue that the
interplay of power disparity and economic dependence shape a state’s decision in
choosing different balancing strategies. The higher the power disparity and economic
dependence, the more likely a state chooses soft balancing to pursue its security. By using
U.S. policy towards China after the Cold War as a case study, we suggest that a huge
power gap and increasing economic interdependence between the U.S. and China shape
U.S. soft balancing rather than hard balancing toward China after the cold war. Future
U.S.-China relations depend on (1) whether the U.S. declines as a result of China’s rise;
(2) the degree of economic interdependence between China and the United States.
Kai He
Department of Political Science
Arizona State University
Tel: 480-9656551
Email: Kai.## email not listed ##
Huiyun Feng
Department of Political Science
Utah State University
Tel: 435-797-8277
Email: Huiyun.## email not listed ##
Copyright 2006
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Paper prepared for the 102
nd
American Political Science Association Meeting,
Philadelphia, PA, August 31-September 3, 2006
1
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