The Global Questions Series - Number 13: Key Geopolitical Principles

26 Principles To Determine Why Geopolitical Actors Behave The Way They Do

Contents

1. Introduction

2. Principles of Geopolitics

3. Concluding Remarks

---

Bitesize Edition

• A principle is a fundamental truth or proposition that acts as a foundation for a system of belief or behaviour. In geopolitics, determining any fundamental truth can be difficult.

• However, being aware of principles and strategies nations have pursued in the past allows us to better understand what could be driving geopolitical actors’ decisions or beliefs today. This can inform us more about the world in which we live, and aid in any geopolitical scenario analysis.

• Hence, today, I’ll explore 26 geopolitical principles that have helped contribute to the world we live in today. I’ll also provide some examples of where they are most visible in our world. I’ll include principles such as strategic self-sufficiency, regional integration, maritime dominance, and strategic patience. Every nation won’t actively use every principle I include here, but they will most certainly utilise a small collection of them.

---

Introduction

In my personal life, I’ve enjoyed a principled approach to life since I discovered Ray Dalio. Since then, I’ve sought principles for life, as well as investing principles and trading principles. I have yet to embark on a pursuit of creating geopolitical principles and so I decided it would be an interesting topic to explore. I will publish 26 principles today, before revealing more principles in next month’s edition of the Global Questions Series. Let’s dive in.

---

Principles of Geopolitics

1. Balance of Power - To balance power is to pursue a world where no single power is overwhelmingly dominant and pursues hegemony. If there exists a singular dominant power, there exists a rising power or multiple rising powers. The ruling power tries to maintain its position of power and limit the rising powers. This naturally leads to geopolitical competition which can spread into geopolitical conflict.

---

2. Strategic Self Sufficiency - Ensuring access to necessities to supply your entire population with food, water, health, shelter, and energy, among other needs. If this can’t be achieved individually, a nation should rely on trusted supply chains.

---

3. Geographic Realism - Geography is destiny. The geography of our world continues to determine the geopolitical direction that nations move towards. The United States’ geography is isolated by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, apart from its two neighbours, Canada and Mexico. Hence, these relations are some of the most important the United States has.

Photo by Hans Isaacson on Unsplash

---

4. Multilateralism and Diplomacy -Fostering alliances and partnerships with like-minded nations in international institutions to solve global problems. Any problem that threatens the entire world could, in theory, lead to all nations aligning in the pursuit of collective decision-making.

---

5. Deterrence - Maintaining a level of individual defensive capabilities to dissuade bad geopolitical actors from behaving aggressively against other nations. If a system of deterrence becomes null and void, we must establish a new one to take its place.

---

6. Adaptability - As a nation, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Be flexible in your policy and you’ll give yourself wiggle room. After all, the world is constantly changing. If you back yourself into a corner, you put yourself in a position to be left behind. Shifting alliances, emerging technologies, changing norms, or new emerging problems all ensure adaptability is a necessary principle for geopolitical actors.

---

7. Economic Leverage - Using your economic prowess as a weapon against others. This is a reason to pursue strategic self-sufficiency, it allows you to avoid being hurt economically and places you in a position to weaponise your strength if necessary. Economic leverage can present itself through different means, such as China’s Belt and Road Initiative increasing reliance on cheap Chinese manufactured goods, or the United States weaponising its reserve currency status through sanctions packages.