A brief introduction

A conflict between States is not always or only a military clash. In fact there are other fields in which States can fight each other: politics and diplomacy, economics, culture.

The political-diplomatic clashes

“War is the continuation of politics by other means.”
 Carl von Clausewitz

Are International politics always headed for growing State power in a background of “all against all” war? Is it true what Carl von Clausewitz said? We obviously hope that it is not true. In fact in theory International politics and diplomatic measures can be done for peaceful purposes or in order to improve a State condition not at the expenses of another. Nevertheless alliances or a particular geopolitical strategy also are implemented in order to isolate or to take position against a State or a group of States.
A historical example about that are the attempts of Germany to isolate France through a system of alliances at the end of XIX century. In addition Germany drew up an alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy in 1882. In 1907 the answer to the will of power of Germany by France, the UK and Russia was the creation of the Triple Entente that took position against the Triple Alliance. A clear example of a geopolitical strategy is the containment policy implemented by the United States administration in 1947. The aim of this policy was to stop the spread of influence of the USSR, in fact the soviet politics were perceived as aggressive by USA at that time.

Tommaso Marotta

The economic clashes

As mentioned, the clash between states can also be played on the level of economic relations. One of the leading interpreters of this policy is certainly Germany. The German nation has often led the fight on the level of economic relations; the historical periods in which it has been most evident were the '80s with the creation of the European Monetary System (E.M.S.); and in recent years with the rise of the single currency, the Euro.

The E.M.S. was a monetary mechanism that forced states parties to align their currency exchange rates. It favored the German power because its currency was strong and penalized its exports in favor of states, such as Italy, which had a weak currency, and if needed, they could also devalue to encourage exports. This situation has generated strong international tensions between state parties and led to a rapid dismantling.

A most obvious situation of conflict began in 2002, with the birth of the Euro. Thanks to the single European currency, Germany is pursuing a policy of constant economic conflict against other state parties. The mechanism on which the Euro works, is the same as the E.M.S, but with the difference that the states have renounced their monetary sovereignty in favor of a single currency.

It will be interesting to observe how the system will hold up to the weight of the clash and how the economic relations between states will change.

Nicolò Brugnolaro

The cultural clashes

“The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural. Nation-states will remain the most powerful actors in world affairs, but the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations.”
 Samuel Huntington

In a background of power politics, a state who wants to use its cultural authority has the goal to expand its sphere of influence to impose its hegemony to another civilization, not in a military but cultural way. The cultural clashes are therefore conflicts between states with different cultures and different civilizations.
The Cold War was a perfect example of this policy: the two blocks in opposition represented two very different civilizations, who preached the supremacy over the other. The creation of the Warsaw Pact and the NATO arose from the need to tie closely the states who were more similar to their own idea of civilization.
The initial quote of the American political scientist Samuel Huntington is referred to the "victory" of Western civilization against the communism of the USSR. This unique event involves a strong shift in cultural policies: abandoned the predominant use of ideologies, the clash between cultures will be more and more specific, in regional context.
An example of the enlargement of importance of influence is the situation of Turkey: it has always been a bridge between East and West but what sphere does it belong to? Is it a European country or a Middle East state? Could these aspects coexist?

Daniele Bessegato