Knowra Security dilemma Security dilemma A situation in which one party’s efforts to increase its security appear threatening to others, prompting them to take countermeasures that leave all parties less secure.
Anarchy in international relations : A condition in international politics where no central authority can enforce rules among sovereign states. Without a dependable guarantor, states must judge threats and provide for their own security.
John H. Herz : A political scientist who introduced the security dilemma as a concept in international relations. His 1950 essay named the predicament of self-protection that generates reciprocal insecurity.
Dreadnought race : The early twentieth-century naval competition, especially between Britain and Germany, centered on battleship construction. Each side’s naval expansion appeared to threaten the other’s position and security.
Deterrence theory : The theory that threats of retaliation can prevent an adversary from taking an unwanted action. Deterrence focuses on deliberate influence, while the dilemma can arise without either side seeking conflict.
Spiral model of conflict : A model in which reciprocal fear and hostile interpretations drive escalating actions between adversaries. It captures the route from mutual insecurity to worsening confrontation.
Security dilemma sensitivity : The degree to which a state’s actions are interpreted as threatening by others, and its own reactions intensify their fears. It explains why ambiguous defensive steps can trigger especially strong reciprocal responses.
Herbert Butterfield : An English historian whose account of tragic international conflict emphasized fear, suspicion, and unintended consequences. His parallel analysis described the dynamic before it acquired its familiar theoretical label.
Anglo-German naval arms race : The pre–First World War competition between Britain and Germany to build powerful fleets. It illustrates how weapons intended for security can provoke a rival’s counter-buildup.
Offensive realism : A theory that states seek to maximize power because the international system makes intentions uncertain and survival precarious. It treats power-seeking as a persistent response, not merely a misread defensive measure.
Arms control : Agreements or policies that limit, regulate, or reduce military capabilities and activities. Limits can reduce the threatening appearance and destabilizing effects of military buildups.
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