Gunboat Diplomacy Essay ⋆ Political Science Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

Gunboat diplomacy refers to the practice of making threats against another state by the visible demonstration of warships. The term is associated with the early twentieth century use of small coastal or river warships to enforce the interests of the great powers in places such as Latin America and China, usually involving issues of trade and the treatment of nationals. More broadly in international relations, gunboat diplomacy is the use of conspicuous displays of military strength, or limited use of military force, other than as part of an act of war, to coerce a target state to submit to a particular foreign policy objective. Gunboat diplomacy is therefore an alternative to war, and it can be described as having failed if war erupts as a result of the demonstration.

Gunboat diplomacy has four variants. Definitive force is the exercise of force to secure or challenge a fait accompli. Purposeful force aims at changing the policy or composition of a target government or group. Catalytic force increases the policy options for leaders by deploying the flexibility of a naval force. Finally, expressive force is the demonstration of naval power to show commitment, usually by dispatching a warship into an area of interest.

Bibliography:

Cable, James. Gunboat Diplomacy 1919–1991. 3rd ed. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1994.

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