Explaining Alliance Formation Internal vs. External Sources

Omnibalancing I ► Balance of power is inadequate in explaining Third World alignment ► Draws upon the key assumptions of the balance of power (and balance of threat theory) ► Deals with all threats, i.e. internal and external threats ► Systemic vs. unit level arguments

Omnibalancing II ► States appease secondary threats in order to counter primary ones ► Leaders seek to split alignments against them, while also focusing on the primary sources of threat ► What appears to be bandwagoning on the surface is actually a form of balancing ► Sometimes leaders place their own interests before the interests of the state

Omnibalancing III ► For further details, please visit Blackboard or me at ► Thank you.

The Concept of Omnialignment (Harknett & VanDenBerg) ► Alignment may be driven by presence of internal and external challenges ► These internal and external challenges reinforce each other ► In certain cases alignment may reflect a direct response to an internal threat rather than a reaction to external stimuli ► Reactions to interrelated threats differs from responses to primary internal or primary external threats ► These reactions require a combined strategy to deal with both types of threats that feed off each other

Interrelated Threats ► Three conditions contribute to the presence of internal threats: 1. Competing allegiances 2. Lack of legitimacy 3. State power ► There are two basic responses to all three types of threats: -- balancing -- resistance of most pressing threats -- bandwagoning – appeasement of most pressing threats

Interrelated Threats (cont’d) ► Strategic Balance – international alignment that resists an external threat ► Strategic Bandwagon – international alignment that appeases an external threat ► Internal Balance -- international alignment that resists an internal threat ► Internal Bandwagon -- international alignment that appeases an internal threat

Forms of Omnialignments