What is "balance of power"

Balance \Bal"ance\ (b[a^]l"ans), n. [OE. balaunce, F. balance, fr. L. bilanx, bilancis, having two scales; bis twice (akin to E. two) + lanx plate, scale.]

1. An apparatus for weighing.

   Note: In its simplest form, a balance consists of a beam or lever supported exactly in the middle, having two scales or basins of equal weight suspended from its extremities. Another form is that of the Roman balance, our steelyard, consisting of a lever or beam, suspended near one of its extremities, on the longer arm of which a counterpoise slides. The name is also given to other forms of apparatus for weighing bodies, as to the combinations of levers making up platform scales; and even to devices for weighing by the elasticity of a spring.

2. Act of weighing mentally; comparison; estimate.

   A fair balance of the advantages on either side.
   --Atterbury.

3. Equipoise between the weights in opposite scales.

4. The state of being in equipoise; equilibrium; even adjustment; steadiness.

   And hung a bottle on each side To make his balance true.
   --Cowper.

   The order and balance of the country were destroyed.
   --Buckle.

   English workmen completely lose their balance.
   --J. S. Mill.

5. An equality between the sums total of the two sides of an account; as, to bring one's accounts to a balance; -- also, the excess on either side; as, the balance of an account. ``A balance at the banker's.''
   --Thackeray.

   I still think the balance of probabilities leans towards the account given in the text.
   --J. Peile.

6. (Horol.) A balance wheel, as of a watch, or clock. See Balance wheel (in the Vocabulary).

7. (Astron.)

   1. The constellation Libra.

   2. The seventh sign in the Zodiac, called Libra, which the sun enters at the equinox in September.

8. A movement in dancing. See Balance, v. t., 8.

   Balance electrometer, a kind of balance, with a poised beam, which indicates, by weights suspended from one arm, the mutual attraction of oppositely electrified surfaces.
   --Knight.

   Balance fish. (Zo["o]l) See Hammerhead.

   Balance knife, a carving or table knife the handle of which overbalances the blade, and so keeps it from contact with the table.

   Balance of power (Politics), such an adjustment of power among sovereign states that no one state is in a position to interfere with the independence of the others; international equilibrium; also, the ability (of a state or a third party within a state) to control the relations between sovereign states or between dominant parties in a state.

   Balance sheet (Bookkeeping), a paper showing the balances of the open accounts of a business, the debit and credit balances footing up equally, if the system of accounts be complete and the balances correctly taken.

   Balance thermometer, a thermometer mounted as a balance so that the movement of the mercurial column changes the inclination of the tube. With the aid of electrical or mechanical devices adapted to it, it is used for the automatic regulation of the temperature of rooms warmed artificially, and as a fire alarm.

   Balance of torsion. See Torsion Balance.

   Balance of trade (Pol. Econ.), an equilibrium between the money values of the exports and imports of a country; or more commonly, the amount required on one side or the other to make such an equilibrium.

   Balance valve, a valve whose surfaces are so arranged that the fluid pressure tending to seat, and that tending to unseat, the valve, are nearly in equilibrium; esp., a puppet valve which is made to operate easily by the admission of steam to both sides. See Puppet valve.

   Hydrostatic balance. See under Hydrostatic.

   To lay in balance, to put up as a pledge or security. [Obs.]
   --Chaucer.

   To strike a balance, to find out the difference between the debit and credit sides of an account.

n. (context politics government English) A situation of equilibrium in which no country is powerful enough to control, or threaten the interests of, the others.

n. an equilibrium of power between nations

Balance of Power is the eleventh studio album by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) released in 1986. It is the final album by the band to feature co-founder Bev Bevan on drums; as well as the last album to feature keyboardist Richard Tandy in an official capacity.

"Balance of Power" is the third episode of science fiction comedy Red Dwarf series one. It was first broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 29 February 1988. Written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, and directed by Ed Bye. The story revolves around Lister's desire to bring his one true love, Kristine Kochanski, back as a hologram.

Considered to be one of the weakest from the first series, the episode was re-mastered, along with the rest of the first three series, in 1998. This was an attempt to change the standard of the episode suitable for international broadcast.

Balance of Power is a computer strategy game of geopolitics during the Cold War, created by Chris Crawford and published in 1985 on the Apple Macintosh by Mindscape, followed by ports to a variety of platforms over the next two years.

In the game the player takes the role of the President of the United States or General Secretary of the Soviet Union. The goal is to improve the player's country's standing in the world relative to the other superpower. During each yearly turn, random events occur that may have effects on the player's international prestige. The player can choose to respond to these events in various ways, which may prompt a response from the other superpower. This creates brinkmanship situations between the two nations, potentially escalating to a nuclear war, which ends the game.

Crawford was already fairly well known for earlier games, especially Eastern Front (1941). His 1984 announcement that he was moving to the Macintosh platform to work on an entirely new idea in gaming generated considerable interest. It was widely and positively reviewed after its release, including an extremely positive review in The New York Times Magazine. It was widely praised for its inventive nonaction gameplay that was nevertheless exciting and a distinct alternative to the more common arcade games of the era. It has been named as one of the most innovative computer games of all time.

Hugely successful on the Mac, the addition of an IBM PC port late in the year made it a best seller. Ultimately selling over a quarter million units although it only ran on relatively new platforms, it represented a not-insignificant fraction of all video game sales through 1985 and 86. It spawned a number of sequels and copycats, but none of these were as successful as the original.

Balance of power may refer to:

• Balance of power (international relations), parity or stability between competing forces
• Balance of power (federalism), distribution of power between a central government and its subnational governments
• Balance of power (parliament), the power exercised by a minor political party whose support enables a minority government to obtain office

In popular culture:

• "Balance of Power" (drama) 1975 play written by Alan Melville and performed on BBC Radio 4
• Balance of Power (album), a 1986 album by Electric Light Orchestra
• Balance of Power (band), a British melodic progressive metal group formed in 1995
• "Balance of Power" (Red Dwarf), a 1988 episode of the TV series Red Dwarf
• "The Balance of Power" (Minder), an episode of the TV series Minder
• Balance of Power (Star Trek), a 1994 Star Trek:The Next Generation novel by Dafydd Ab Hugh
• Balance of Power (video game), a 1985 geopolitical strategy computer game

The balance of power theory in international relations suggests that national security is enhanced when military capability is distributed so that no one state is strong enough to dominate all others. If one state becomes much stronger than others, the theory predicts that it will take advantage of its strength and attack weaker neighbors, thereby providing an incentive for those threatened to unite in a defensive coalition. Some realists maintain that this would be more stable as aggression would appear unattractive and would be averted if there was equilibrium of power between the rival coalitions.

When confronted by a significant external threat, states that look to form alliances may " balance" or " bandwagon". Balancing is defined as allying with others against the prevailing threat, while states that have bandwagoned have aligned with the threat. States may also employ other alliance tactics, such as buck-passing and chain-ganging. There is a longstanding debate among realists with regard to how the polarity of a system impacts on which tactic states use, however, it is generally agreed that balancing is more efficient in bipolar systems as each great power has no choice but to directly confront the other. Along with debates between realists about the prevalence of balancing in alliance patterns, other schools of international relations, such as constructivists, are also critical of the balance of power theory, disputing core realist assumptions regarding the international system and the behavior of states.

Balance of Power is a Star Trek:The Next Generation novel by Dafydd Ab Hugh.

Balance of Power are a British melodic progressive metal group, formed in 1995.

In parliamentary politics, the term balance of power may describe a parliamentary situation in which a member or a number of members of chamber are in a position by their uncommitted vote to enable a party to attain and remain in minority government, and the term may also be applied to the members who hold that position. The members holding the balance of power may guarantee their support for a government by either joining it in a coalition government or by an assurance that they will vote against any motion of no confidence in the government or abstain in such a vote. In return for such a commitment, such persons may demand legislative or policy commitments from the party they are to support. A person or party may also hold a balance of power in a chamber without any commitment to government, in which case both the government and opposition groupings may on occasion need to negotiate that person's legislative support.

The term itself is partially a misnomer of its misapplication from geopolitics in the 20th century and European politics in the 19th century which involved, for example, the assessment of the conditions of war following the Napoleonic campaigns across Europe (see Metternich).

In federations, the balance of power is occasionally used informally to designate the degree to which power is centralized in the federal government or devolved to the subnational governments. The term itself is largely a misnomer of its misapplication from geopolitics in the twentieth century (for example, the Cold War) and European politics in the nineteenth century involved, for example, in the assessment of the conditions of war following the Napoleonic campaigns across Europe (see Metternich) In confederations (decentralised federations), it is more likely that the balance of power will be in favour of the sub-national level of government (that is, states or provinces). Canada is an example of such a federation. The Commonwealth of Australia is an example of a federation in which the balance of power has shifted in favour of the central (federal) government; although the states were constitutionally intended to be preponderant, the federal government has become dominant through various means of this power. The more refined use of the term usually defers to the designation of power at the domestic level using such terms as the separation of powers, or the distribution of powers among the states and institutions contained within a larger federal government.