International System Structure And Small States’ Foreign Policies

Great powers are always being the key role on the stage of international politics,and the evolution of power, interactive contacts, the struggles and conflicts of great powers has a far-reaching influence on the evolution of international system structure.In the international system structure established by Kenneth N. Waltz,great powers are the the most influential unit and the central actors. However,small states are on the edge position of international system structure and they can only passively reflect the various changes of international system structure.In Waltz’s system structure theories,the causal relationship between system structure and great powers actors presents the characteristics of bidirectional interaction. This is because the great powers’ strength is preeminent,and their actions and interactions can also react the international system structure when the latter influence the former.On the contrary,due to the lack of power,small states have a invulnerable position in international system structure,and they can just passively accept and reflect the various effects that caused by the changes of system structure.Thus, as a special actors, the causal relationship between small states and international system structure mainly shows the characteristics of unicity,which different from Waltz’s system structure theories that the causal relationship between system structure level and unity level is bidirectional.In other words,international system structure can influence small states’ foreign policies,but,generally, small states’ foreign behavior can hardly react to system structure.Under the influence of international system structure and geopolitical variate,in general,small states’ foreign policies have four choices, including alignment,neutrality,stir up wars and conflicts and participate in or found international organizations.According to the case studies of foreign policies of some small states in Southeast Asia region,the author poses three hypotheses and then verify and analyze them.Then,we can find that there are three different relationships exiting in international system structure and small states’ foreign policies.Firstly,small sates tend to ally with another countries or join or set up international organizations when international system is predominated by bipolar structure.Secondly,no matter the international system structure is bipolar or multipolar,some small states will actively provoke external wars or conflicts if only they can obtain aids from a great power in international system.Thirdly,international system structure and geopolitics factors are the key variables in small states’ neutrality policy,no matter in bipolar or multipolar system structure.Finally,the author believe small states can’t be ignored and they are significant,and the studies on small states are indispensable.Also small states should be had their place in China’s total deployment of foreign affairs strategies.