More on Micropowers

Chirol explores the concept of geopolitical micropowers (a discussion that he, Moises Naim, and I have been exploring) and comes up with this definition:

• Be a small state actor in control of some amount of territory.
• Concentrate on soft power, 4GW and Global Guerilla methods for projecting power.
• Hard power is almost never used, and almost never feasible. Asymmetry is the key.
• Important location (like real estate, location is everything)
• Can be unusually flexible. Can join/leave ad hoc coalitions, practice a certain amount of Realpolitik
• May or may not be under an external security umbrella (Bilateral, regional, national)
• Seek strategic connectivity vis-a-vis its geographical location. Be critical but not vulnerable. Be a node whose disconnection would precipitate cascading failure.
• Create external vulnerability and thus internal stability.
• Use international organizations, communications and NGOs to champion your cause and promote/defend your interests. Target populations more than governments. Make bilateral problems multilateral.

I agree with many of these. I'll come up with some ideas on revisions soon. Add to the discussion here...

Comments

[Chirol]

Glad you enjoyed the post. As Shloky noted in the comments, another attribute would surely be that the state is homogenous whether ethnically or religiously.

I'm also unsure today as to whether the second to last point was clear. It reinforces earlier points that by making outsider players vulnerable if you "go offline" you create internal stability.

And most obviously, non-state actors need to be addressed such as Hizballah, drug smuggling cartels and the like. I think they will have a lot in common with your GGs.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

[shloky]

"I think they will have a lot in common with your GGs."

I'd go a step further and say everyone is writing about different facets of a single overarching topic.

[John Robb]

True. GGs except they are "legal" states.

[gmoke]

Was it Bruce Sterling or Neil Stephenson who wrote about small countries becoming powerful by being secure data storehouses and financial centers? Can there be virtual micropowers? Virtual nation-states?

[Tangurena]

>Was it Bruce Sterling or Neil Stephenson who wrote about small countries becoming powerful by being secure data storehouses and financial centers?
Neil Stephenson. The book is Cryptonomicon.
http://www.amazon.com/Cryptonomicon-Neal-Stephenson/dp/0380788624

[John Robb]

Stirling in "Islands in the Net" Datahavens.