TR3.5

Diplomacy - Kissinger

Houjun Liu 2021-09-27 Mon 12:00

1 Diplomacy, Kissinger

The Document: KBe20hist201srcKissingerAnnotated

CLAIM: European balance of power system emerged after medieval collapse

1.1 European Power Balance

Development into model of "universality" => one emperor, one church

1.1.1 The Holy Roman Empire

1.1.2 System of Raison De 'Etat

As a mean to fend off an every-growing HRE threatening France, Cardinal Richaleu came up with a system named KBhHIST201RaisonDeEtat that promises to be a better system of government.

1.2 England, the Mediator

1.3 Kissinger's Take Home Messages

And I quote:

““”

  • Power is difficult to access
  • Equilibrium best achieved if they are in common interest
  • Balance of power inhibits capacity to overthrow order
  • Agreement on shared values inhibits desire to overthrow order
  • Power without legitamacy tempts dangerous strength tests
  • Legitimacy without power tempts empty power tests

““”

Kissinger sees himself as American Richlieu.

End result of Raison d'etat

  1. Others form a coalition against the ruthless nation => balance of power is eventually achieved
  2. Unipolar dominance of a world system/world hegemony => too dominant to fight back against

McNeill

  • Consolidation for political power (310-311)
  • Administrative centralization: italian city-state strategies to govern countries
  • Seizing Church power and property during the Reformation: Catholics trade away political power to re-affirm their religious
  • Development of military technology becomes too expensive to do rurally to larger factories in a city: standing army cannot be tracked in a local level

The renessance brings two things: either harness renissance energy to do innovation or harness reformation energy to unify Europe — if someone has the ability to have warfare.