The concept of multi-vector politics in the system of foreign policy practices of the average country (on the example of Belarus)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu06.2022.406Abstract
The article discusses the concept of the average state and its problematic for modern political science. Based on the analysis of the concepts of the average state that have developed to date, the authors come to the conclusion about the vagueness and uncertainty of the criteria of the average state. It is concluded that the average state is not so much a set of features that characterize a particular country, as the political role that a particular state is ready to play in the international arena. At the same time, countries as different in scale as India and the Scandinavian states can claim the role of an average state. A distinctive feature of the average state is a propensity for multi-vector politics, geopolitical balancing and multilateral alliances. Using the example of Belarus, the authors show how this post-Soviet republic is trying to realize the role of an average state in the international arena. Unlike its neighbors, the Baltic states and Ukraine, which chose the model of small client states of the West, Belarus followed the path of a medium–sized state balancing between Russia, the EU, China and the states of the “far arc”, while maintaining a close alliance with Russia as a priority direction of foreign policy. The article highlights the difficulties faced by the Union State of Russia and Belarus due to the unequal vision of its participants of their roles. In conclusion, it is concluded that the former model of the Belarusian multi-vector politics in the new geopolitical conditions is exhausted, and the Union State can gain a new meaning as one of the geopolitical centers in the emerging world of “colliding civilizations”. At the same time, the role of Belarus as an average state — an equal partner of Russia can be preserved.
Keywords:
average state, Belarus, multi-vector politics, Union State of Russia and Belarus
Downloads
References
Смирнов, В. А. (2016), Политические элиты Латвии, Литвы и Эстонии: факторы рекрутирования и структурная динамика, Калининград: Изд-во Балтийского федерального университета им. И. Канта.
Смирнов, В. А. (2017), Политические элиты в малых странах: вопросы теории, Москва: РОССПЭН.
Смирнов, В. А. (2014), К вопросу о роли малых стран в процессах переструктуирования постсоветского пространства (на примере Прибалтики), Балтийский регион, № 4 (22), с. 48–56.
Смирнов, В. А. (2019), Прибалтийские государства: возможности и ограничения институционального регионализма, Современная Европа, № 6, с. 40–47.
Ланко, Д. А. и Долженкова, Е. (2015), Латвия в территориальной системе европейской безопасности, Балтийский регион, № 1, с. 73–78.
Ланко, Д. А. (2015), Партийно-политическая система Эстонской Республики в середине 2010-х гг., Балтийский регион, № 2, с. 67–77.
Худолей, К. К. и Ланко, Д. А. (2019), Финская дилемма безопасности, НАТО и фактор Восточной Европы, Мировая экономика и международные отношения, т. 63, № 3, с. 13–20.
Зверев, Ю. М. и Межевич, Н. М. (2019), Подходы к типологии малых европейских стран на примере Эстонии, Латвии, Литвы, Полис. Политические исследования, № 5, с. 181–191.
Оленченко, В. А. и Межевич, Н. М. (2021), Вишеградская группа и Балтийская ассамблея: коалиции внутри Евросоюза в российском внешнеполитическом восприятии, Балтийский регион, т. 13, № 3, с. 25–41.
Оленченко, В. А. (2020), Особенности и перспективы партийной жизни в странах Балтии, Коалиционные правительства в современной Европе: шансы и риски. Доклады ИЕ РАН, № 374, с. 109–116. URL: https://www.instituteofeurope.ru/images/uploads/doklad/374.pdf (дата обращения: 20.08.2022).
Худолей, К. К. и Изотов, А. В. (2015), Европейские исследования: взгляд из Восточной Европы, Балтийский регион, № 1 (23), с. 159–163.
Межевич, Н. М. (2015), «Интеграция интеграций»: стоит ли искать черную кошку в тем- ной комнате?, РСМД, 18 сентября. URL: https://russiancouncil.ru/analytics-and-comments/analytics/integratsiya-integratsiy-stoit-li-iskat-chyernuyu-koshku-v-t/ (дата обращения: 20.08.2022).
Воротников, В. В. и Иванова, Н. А. (2019), «Мягкая сила» России в странах Прибалтики в ис- следовательском фокусе: традиции, противостояние, конкуренция, Балтийский регион, т. 11, № 3, с. 107–124.
Воротников, В. В. (2018), Актуальные проблемы диаспоральной политики стран Балтии, Со- временная Европа, № 7, с. 128–140.
Швейцер, В. Я. (2008), Европа: большой опыт малых стран, Современная Европа, № 4 (36), с. 46–58.
East, M. (1973), Size and Foreign Policy Behavior: A Test of Two Models, World Politics, no. 25 (4), pp. 556–576.
Wallis, M. (1986), Vulnerability. Small States in the Global Society, London: Commonwealth Secretariat, pp. 408–409.
Kuznets, S. (1960), Demographic and Economic Change in Developed Countries, Universities-National Bureau, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
Däniken, F. von (1998), Is the Notion of Small State Still Relevant?, in: Goetschel, L. (ed.), Small States Inside and Outside the European Union, Boston, MA. : Springer, pp. 43–48.
Rothstein, R. L. (1968), Alliances and Small Powers, New York: Columbia University Press.
Вершинина, В. В. (2020), «Державы среднего уровня» в международных отношениях: сравнительный анализ концептуальных подходов, Сравнительная политика, № 3, с. 25–40.
Скриба, А. (2014), Балансирование малых и средних государств, Международные процессы, т. 12, № 4, с. 88–100.
Anderson, B. (2006), Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, London and New York: Verso.
Keohane, R. O. (1969), Lilliputians’ Dilemmas: Small States in International Politics, International Organization, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 291–310.
Morgenthau, Н. (1965), Politics Among Nations. The Struggle for Power and Peace, New York: Knopf.
Rothstein, R. (1968), Alliances and Small Powers, New York: Columbia University Press.
Радниц С. (2012), Применение теории внешних заговоров в качестве инструмента внутриполитической жизни на Кавказе, Аналитическая записка № 243 ПОНАРС Евразия, Сентябрь. URL: https://www.ponarseurasia.org/wp-content/uploads/attachments/pepm243_russ_radnitz_sept2012.pdf (дата обращения: 20.08.2022).
Смирнов, В. А. (2019), Прибалтийские государства: возможности и ограничения институционального регионализма, Современная Европа, № 6, с. 40–47.
Laurinavicius, C., Motieka, E. and Statkus, N. (2005), Baltijos valstybiu geopolitikos bruozai. XX amzius, Vilnius: Lietuvos istorijos institutas.
Шимов, В. В. (2021), Белорусская многовекторность как фактор региональной политики на российско-европейском пограничье, Аналитический бюллетень ИСПИРР, гл. ред. Шорников, И. П., № 1–2 (6–7), с. 14–20.
«Воссоединение России с Белоруссией стало бы крупным национальным успехом» (2018), Eurasia Daily, 29 июня. URL: https://eadaily.com/ru/news/2018/06/29/vossoedinenie-rossii-s-belorussieystalo-by-krupnym-nacionalnym-uspehom (дата обращения: 20.08.2022).
References
Smirnov, V. A. (2016), Political Elites of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia: Recruiting Factors and Structural Dynamics, Kaliningrad: Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University Publ. (In Russian)
Smirnov, V. A. (2017), Political Elites in Small Countries: Questions of Theory, Moscow: ROSSPEN Publ. (In Russian)
Smirnov, V. A. (2014), On the Issue of the Role of Small Countries in the Processes of Restructuring the Post-Soviet Space (on the Example of the Baltics), Baltic Region, no. 4 (22), pp. 48–56. (In Russian)
Smirnov, V. A. (2019), The Baltic States: Opportunities and Limitations of Institutional Regionalism, Contemporary Europe, no. 6, pp. 40–47. (In Russian)
Lanko, D. A. and Dolzhenkova, E. (2015), Latvia in the territorial system of European security, Baltic Region, no. 1, pp. 73–78. (In Russian)
Lanko, D. A. (2015), Party-political system of the Republic of Estonia in the mid-2010s, Baltic Region, no. 2, pp. 67–77. (In Russian)
Khudoley, K. K. and Lanko, D. A. (2019), The Finnish Security Dilemma, NATO and the Eastern European Factor, World economy and international relations, vol. 63, no. 3, pp. 13–20. (In Russian)
Zverev, Yu. M. and Mezhevich, N. M. (2019), Approaches to the Typology of Small European countries on the Example of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Polis, no. 5, pp. 181–191. (In Russian)
Olenchenko, V. A. and Mezhevich, N. M. (2021), The Visegrad Group and the Baltic Assembly: Coalitions within the European Union in Russian Foreign Policy Perceptions, Baltic Region, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 25–41. (In Russian)
Olenchenko, V. A. (2020), Features and Perspectives of Party Life in the Baltic States, Coalition governments in modern Europe: Chances and risks. Reports of IE RAS, no. 374, pp. 109–116. Available at: https://www.instituteofeurope.ru/images/uploads/doklad/374.pdf (accessed: 20.08.2022). (In Russian)
Khudoley, K. K. and Izotov, A. V. (2015), European Studies: A Perspective from Eastern Europe, Baltic Region, no. 1 (23), pp. 159–163. (In Russian)
Mezhevich, N. M. (2015), “Integration of Integrations”: Is it worth looking for a black cat in a dark room?, RIAC, September 18. Available at: https://russiancouncil.ru/analytics-and-comments/analytics/integratsiya-integratsiy-stoit-li-iskat-chyernuyu-koshku-v-t/ (accessed: 20.08.2022). (In Russian)
Vorotnikov, V. V. and Ivanova, N. A. (2019), “Soft Power” of Russia in the Baltic Countries in the Research Focus: Traditions, Confrontation, Competition, Baltic Region, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 107–124. (In Russian)
Vorotnikov, V. V. (2018), Actual Problems of the Diaspora Policy of the Baltic Countries, Contemporary Europe, no. 7, pp. 128–140. (In Russian)
Schweitzer, V. Ya. (2008), Europe: A Great Experience of Small Countries, Contemporary Europe, no. 4 (36), pp. 46–58. (In Russian)
East, M. (1973), Size and Foreign Policy Behavior: A Test of Two Models, World Politics, no. 25(4), pp. 556–576.
Wallis, M. (1986), Vulnerability. Small States in the Global Society, London: Commonwealth Secretariat, pp. 408–409.
Kuznets, S. (1960), Demographic and Economic Change in Developed Countries, Universities-National Bureau, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
Däniken, F. von (1998), Is the Notion of Small State Still Relevant?, in: Goetschel, L. (ed.), Small States Inside and Outside the European Union, Boston, MA: Springer.
Rothstein, R. L. (1968), Alliances and Small Powers, New York: Columbia University Press.
Vershinina, V. V. (2020), “Middle Powers” in International Relations: A Comparative Analysis of Conceptual Approaches, Comparative politics Russia, no. 3, pp. 25–40. (In Russian)
Skriba, A. (2014), Balancing Small and Medium States, Mezhdunarodnye protsessy, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 88–100. (In Russian)
Anderson, B. (2006), Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, London and New York: Verso.
Keohane, R. O. (1969), Lilliputians’ Dilemmas: Small States in International Politics, International Organization, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 291–310.
Morgenthau, Н. (1965), Politics Among Nations. The Struggle for Power and Peace, New York: Knopf.
Rothstein, R. (1968), Alliances and Small Powers, New York: Columbia University Press.
Radnitz, S. (2012), The Use of External Conspiracy Theory as an Instrument of Internal Political Life in the Caucasus, Policy Note no. 243 PONARS Eurasia, September. Available at: https://www.ponarseurasia.org/wp-content/uploads/attachments/pepm243_russ_radnitz_sept2012.pdf (accessed: 20.08.2022). (In Russian)
Smirnov, V. A. (2019), The Baltic States: Opportunities and Limitations of Institutional Regionalism, Contemporary Europe, no. 6, pp. 40–47. (In Russian)
Laurinavicius, C., Motieka, E. and Statkus, N. (2005), Baltijos valstybiu geopolitikos bruozai. XX amzius, Vilnius: Lietuvos istorijos institutas.
Shimov, V. V. (2021), Belarusian Multi-vector Approach as a Factor of Regional Policy on the Russian- European Border, Analytical Bulletin of ISPIRR, chief ed. Shornikov, I. P., no. 1–2 (6–7), pp. 14–20. (In Russian)
“The Reunification of Russia with Belarus Would be a Major National Success” (2018), Eurasia Daily, June 29. Available at: https://eadaily.com/ru/news/2018/06/29/vossoedinenie-rossii-s-belorussiey-stalo-bykrupnym-nacionalnym-uspehom (accessed: 20.08.2022). (In Russian)
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Articles of "Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. International relations" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.
