Omnibalancing: authoritarian head of state as unit of analysis Flashcards
What does the balance of power theory predict?
predicts that threats will be resisted, states will do what they can to balance threat
In the balance of power theory what is the balance for?
balance for credibility and survival
With the balance of power theory, what is alignment determined by?
determined by the structure of the international system, particularly external threats
What does omnibalancing consider that balance of power theory does not?
internal threats (it also considers external threats but balance of power does as well)
Why does omnibalancing look at internal threats?
they can sometimes be more immediate and more unpredictable than external threats
for authoritarian regimes in the Global South the domestic politcal environment is _________________ as the international one
-at least as unstable and dangerous
Why is the domestic environment as dangerous or more dangerous as the international environment in the global south?
states may not have the ability or heed to wage interstate war
What does balance of power theory say about secondary adversaries?
states will align with secondary adversaries to focus on primary threats (WW2)
What does omnibalancing say about secondary adversaries?
states will still align with secondary adversaries to focus on primary threats
-but secondary threats are often other states and primary threats are often domestic
Describe alliances in omnibalancing
-states will sometimes make international alliances to address domestic primary threats
authoritarian leaders want power so they _________
protect themselves at the expense of state interests
What are authoritarian leaders trying to protect themselves from>
coup d’état
What are dictators more often afraid of than external enemies and why?
- their own armed forces
- afraid because armies are central to the state, capable of ‘banding’ together (paranoid of coup d’états)
What is coup-proofing?
leaders deliberately weaken their militaries to avoid overthrow
-this can be by killing talented officers or sending them to prison camps (Stalin did this in the 1930s)
How is omnibalancing similar to realism, and how is it different?
- same: argues that IR focuses on power, interests, and rationality
- different: states are NOT unitary actors
What is the unit of analysis in omnibalancing?
the leader of the state
How did Idil Amin come to power in Uganda and when?
Came to power in a coup d’état in 1971
What was interesting about the Amin administration?
he kept changing alliances, for example expelled the soviet military officers in 1971 and replaced them with Israelis, then the following year he expelled the Israelis, and brought back Soviets along with the Libyan military and the Palestine Liberation Organization
Describe Israel’s relationship with African countries and specifically Uganda
- Israel sought ties with African countries, strengthen Israel’s international legitimacy
- Israel was sought after in Africa because of its expertise in agriculture and its military tech (motivation for alliance)
- foreign policy of befriending non-Arab states
- Israel assisted Amin in his 1971 coup
- Amin sourced on Israelis when they refused to sell him jet fighters
Describe Libya’s relationship with Uganda
- feb. 1972, Amin visited Libya and soon received Libyan military support
- Libya sought to counteract Israeli influence in Uganda
- offered monetary compensation to any African country that would agree to sever its relations with Israel
Describe USSR’s relationship with Uganda
- supported coups by pro-Soviet officers (this was a soviet policy because they thought it would motivate maximize Soviet influence)
- wanted to counter US influence
- offered military support to client states
- 1973-1978, the Soviet Union was the major arms supplier to the Amin regime
- Sold Uganda advanced jets and tanks (THIS UPSET THE REGIONAL BALANCE OF POWER)
How did Amin control the superpower-client relationship and describe it
- Amin owed Soviets money for weapons
- played superpowers off each other by threatening to tur to the West
- -challenges conception of power in international system
- -weaker power was able to exert leverage to gain influence
- Soviets forgave his debt and sent him more weapons`
- Amin killed his own military officers if he suspected Soviet recruitment (to protect himself)
describe Amin’s overthrow in 1979
- Amin wanted to conquer part of neighbouring Tanzania
- in response to Ugandan aggression, Tanzanian forced invaded Uganda
- Tanzanian military overthrew Amin in just a few days
Why was Amin able to be overthrown so easily?
- he weakened his own army because he didn’t trust it
- purged his best military units (this left him exposed in the face of a determined attempt to overthrow him)
- Libyans and Palestinians couldn’t save him
- Tanzanians were united and determined (able to prevail)
- Amin had a weak regime and a weak army
What left Uganda vulnerable to external threats?
their external alliances to protect from domestic threats
which scholar describes omni-balancing?
David
