What makes a successful grand strategy? E-Book

William Kealey

• Herausgeber: GRIN Verlag
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

Academic Paper from the year 2014 in the subject Politics - Topic: Peace and Conflict, Security, grade: 78.00, University of Nottingham, language: English, abstract: There are numerous complications and difficulties that are associated with formulating grand strategy which may hinder the process. It is the examination of both these complications associated with grand strategy, and the factors which must be considered by strategists in order to formulate a successful grand strategy that contribute to the body of this essay. The prevailing notion throughout is that in order for a nation to have a 'successful' grand strategy, many components and considerations must be thoroughly contemplated. Just what these components and considerations are, shall be examined in due course. It should be noted however, that this question is exceptionally problematic to definitively answer, due to the nature of subjectivity surrounding grand strategy. For this reason, various case studies shall be examined throughout in order to try and articulate an answer.

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Inhalt

What makes a successful grand strategy?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

What makes a successful grand strategy?

Definitively, explaining the concepts of which constitutes towards grand strategy is notoriously difficult, as indeed there is no universally accepted definition of what is meant by grand strategy (Brands, H: 2012; 2). Carl Von Clausewitz defined grand strategy as "the theory of the use of combat for the object of war", which by anybody's interpretation proves to be ambiguous, and primarily focussed upon military affairs (Bilski & Murray: 2007; 1). Although military affairs are indeed inclusive within most definitions of grand strategy, it is hardly appropriate to solely concentrate on such a context given the many other forms of 'power' a nation can exert and utilise in the contemporary world. Therefore, for the purpose of this essay, the following definition endorsed by Groves (2010: 1) shall prove adequate since it establishes a comprehensive explanation. That is, that the notion of grand strategy is deliberately developed and implemented by nation states so that it is possible to attain their political, economic, social, defence, religious and even moral obligations. Grand strategy is therefore, the art of utilising all the available elements of power as a means to achieve the objectives of a nation. This is however, an extremely complex process with many different factors which may influence the success of a nation's grand strategy (Groves: 2010; 1). There are also numerous complications and difficulties that are associated with formulating grand strategy which may hinder the process. It is the examination of both the complications associated with grand strategy, and the factors which must be considered by strategists in order to formulate a successful grand strategy that contribute to the body of this essay. The prevailing notion throughout is that in order for a nation to have a 'successful' grand strategy, many components and considerations must be thoroughly contemplated. Just what these components and considerations are, shall be examined in due course. It should be noted however, that this question is exceptionally problematic to definitively answer, due to the nature of subjectivity surrounding grand strategy. For this reason, various case studies shall be examined throughout in order to try and articulate an answer.

First and foremost however, let us clearly define what exactly is meant by a 'successful' grand strategy, and why it is important for nations to maintain one. Since in many respects Carl Von Clausewitz is the founding architect of grand strategy, it seems appropriate when trying to establish exactly what is meant by the concept, to lay reference to where the theorising of grand strategy began. Clausewitz argued that "war is merely the continuation of policy by other means" (Groves: 2010; 3), by which he was suggesting that the art of the warfare, is one of many instruments which may be utilised by a nation state in order to achieve their grand strategy. This further means that a nation's political objectives should precede military objectives when in the pursuit of national, or international ambitions. Furthermore, Clausewitz suggested that means must match their ends, and that nations should not seek to achieve ends, by which they do not have the means as this may prove to be counterproductive. It is therefore imperative for a nation to maintain some form of grand strategy, with realistic aims which are achievable given the resources, or means, a state has access to. Grand strategy is therefore, the matching of large ends with means, in order to let a nation advance with its national and international ambitions (Brands, H: 2012; 10-11).

Since the concept of grand strategy is so ambiguous and for the sake of clarity, further elaboration is required with regard to what the purpose of a nation's grand strategy is. Firstly, what it is not, is a foreign policy as a whole, or indeed a single aspect of foreign policy. Where foreign policy envelopes the entirety of a nation's international interactions- and this alone, a grand strategy offers the fundamental procedure to secure a nations core interests, which may well be executed through foreign policy. As Brands (2012: 4) so aptly puts it;