The 19th and Early 20th Centuries: The Multipolar Balance of Power System

These flashcards cover key concepts and events related to the multipolar balance of power system and its evolution through the 19th and 20th centuries.

Multipolar Balance of Power

A system where multiple states have roughly equal capabilities to deter domination and maintain stability.

Concert of Europe

A forum created by the victors of the Napoleonic Wars to resolve disputes and maintain stability in Europe.

Industrialization

The process that began in England around the 1790s, leading to rapid development of industry and changing political power dynamics.

Rigid Alliances

Fixed partnerships between states that reduced flexibility and contributed to the collapse of the multipolar balance of power.

The Long Disorder

The period between 1914 and 1945 characterized by instability and the absence of a stable international system.

The Twenty Years Crisis

The unstable interwar period (1919-1939) where significant conflict occurred leading to World War II.

League of Nations

An intergovernmental organization created after World War I to prevent war, often viewed as a failure.

Post-World War II International System

A new system emerging after WWII, characterized by the establishment of the UN and new global security dynamics.

Cold War System

A geopolitical tension-era (1947-1989) between powers influenced by military strategies that limited conventional warfare.

Technological Change

Advancements, such as nuclear weapons, which impacted military strategy and the thresholds for war.