Power Game In The International Oil Politics

Since oil applied as the main energy for industry at the beginning of the 20^th century, Oil Politics became an important part of the international power game among states. From the international political history of the 20^th century we can find the relationship between oil and the strategic decisions of the great powers were getting more and more closed. Oil even influenced the construction and stability of post war international system. Although the end of the Cold War has not yet constructed a new post war international system immediately as WWI or WWII did. On the contrary, it brought two possible trends: multi-pole world or unitary-pole world, to us. At the same time, a characteristic that never existed in the past appeared in the era, that is, unprecedented wave of globalization and, as the result, deeper interdependence among states. But this does not mean that the degree of power competition in the international politics getting decreased. Oil as one of the fundamental material bases of power still keeps its key function. This paper uses the Power Theory as the base of analysis and incorporates the relevant concept of Game Theory to review and analyze the way and the characteristics of the interaction between oil and power that exists in the Oil Politics during the 20^th century and the beginning of 21^st century. The conclusion argues that in a sense, oil politics can be regarded as one of the key factors that can determine the development of future international political pattern. It also displays the important realistic significance to the oil strategic security of China in the 21^st century.