CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2014
| Author | Kotka, Krisztina |
|---|---|
| Title | The Weak Balancing, the Strong Bandwagoning in the Energy Realm: The Case Study of Germany and Poland and their Energy Relationship to Russia |
| Summary | According to realist IR theory, there is anarchy on the international scene, which means there is no overarching supreme power above the states that would provide protection to any of them in case of aggression by a dominant power. Therefore the most important goal of individual states is survival. Balance of power theory says that for states to survive, they must either balance, that is, “ally in opposition to the principal source of danger,” or bandwagon, meaning, “ally with the state that poses the major threat.” For this same reason, the lack of protection, nations also thrive to maximize their national security, of which energy security became a cornerstone by the 20th century. In light of the above we have been witnessing a strange phenomenon in Europe that seems to contradict the basic theories on nations’ survival. Germany, the EU's strongest economy seems to bandwagon with Russia, when it comes to energy, while its eastern neighbor, Poland, strives to balance Russian energy hegemony. In other words, the research question we are trying to find an answer for is the following: Why does Germany, the most powerful country in the European Union tend to bandwagon with Russia, while Poland, a much weaker EU country, strives to balance in relation to energy provision? This strikes as a puzzle and is a topic that is worth researching. |
| Supervisor | Andreas Goldthau |
| Department | International Relations MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2014/kotka_krisztina.pdf |
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