📚 States as Key Actors in Global Politics and the Balance of Power: State Sovereignty | 国家作为全球政治关键行为体与均势：国家主权
In Edexcel AS Politics, the global politics unit asks a deceptively simple question: who really matters in world affairs? For centuries, the answer has been the sovereign state. This article examines why states remain key actors in global politics, how state sovereignty underpins the international system, and how the balance of power operates as a central mechanism for managing rivalry between sovereign states.
在 Edexcel AS 政治课程中，全球政治单元提出一个看似简单的问题：谁在世界事务中真正重要？几个世纪以来，答案一直是主权国家。本文探讨为什么国家仍然是全球政治中的关键行为体，国家主权如何支撑国际体系，以及均势如何作为管理主权国家之间竞争的核心机制运行。
1. Defining State Sovereignty | 国家主权的定义
State sovereignty is the principle that a state has supreme legal and political authority within its own territory. It means that no external power can legitimately intervene in the domestic affairs of a sovereign state without its consent. In international law, sovereignty is often described as the ‘constitutional independence’ of states.
国家主权是指一个国家在其领土内拥有最高法律和政治权威的原则。它意味着任何外部力量未经主权国家同意都不能合法干涉其国内事务。在国际法中，主权常被描述为国家的“宪法性独立”。
Sovereignty has two important dimensions: legal sovereignty, which refers to recognition by other states and international organisations, and political sovereignty, which refers to the actual capacity of a government to exercise control over its population and territory. A state can have legal sovereignty but weak political sovereignty, as seen in some failed or fragile states.
主权包含两个重要维度：法律主权指的是其他国家和国际组织对其的承认，政治主权指的是一国政府对其人口和领土实施实际控制的能力。一个国家可以拥有法律主权但政治主权薄弱，例如一些失败或脆弱国家。
2. The State as Primary Actor in International Relations | 国家作为国际关系中的首要行为体
Realist thinkers argue that states are the most important actors in global politics because they alone possess legitimate coercive power. While international organisations, NGOs and multinational corporations exist, they ultimately operate within a system of states that grants or limits their access and authority.
现实主义思想家认为，国家是全球政治中最重要的行为体，因为只有国家拥有合法的强制性权力。尽管国际组织、非政府组织和跨国公司存在，但它们最终在一个由国家组成的体系内运作，该体系赋予或限制它们的准入资格和权威。
States perform functions that no other actor can fully replicate: they provide security through armed forces, create binding law, levy taxation, and represent their populations in diplomatic negotiations. This unique bundle of powers makes the state the reference point for understanding international order.
国家执行着其他行为体无法完全复制的职能：它们通过武装力量提供安全、制定具有约束力的法律、征收税款，并在外交谈判中代表其人民。这种独特的权力组合使国家成为理解国际秩序的参照点。
3. Sovereignty and the Westphalian System | 主权与威斯特伐利亚体系
The modern state system is often traced to the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, which ended the Thirty Years’ War in Europe. The Westphalian settlement established the principle of territorial sovereignty, meaning that rulers could determine the religion and laws of their own territories without external interference.
现代国家体系通常可追溯到 1648 年结束欧洲三十年战争的《威斯特伐利亚和约》。威斯特伐利亚安排确立了领土主权原则，即统治者可以决定自己领土内的宗教和法律，不受外部干涉。
Although historians debate how decisive Westphalia actually was, the idea of ‘Westphalian sovereignty’ remains a powerful shorthand for a world divided into independent territorial states. It provides the legal fiction that all states, regardless of size or power, are formally equal and entitled to non-intervention.
尽管历史学家对威斯特伐利亚的实际决定性存在争议，但“威斯特伐利亚主权”这一概念仍然是一个强大的简略表达，指代一个由独立领土国家组成的世界。它提供了一种法律构想：所有国家无论大小或实力，在形式上一律平等并有权不受干涉。
4. Internal and External Sovereignty | 内部主权与外部主权
Internal sovereignty refers to the location of supreme authority within a state. In a democratic state, internal sovereignty is usually said to rest with the people, who delegate authority to institutions such as parliaments and courts. External sovereignty refers to the state’s independence in relation to other states and international bodies.
内部主权指的是一个国家内部最高权力的归属。在民主国家中，内部主权通常被认为属于人民，人民将权力委托给议会和法院等机构。外部主权指的是国家相对于其他国家和国际机构的独立性。
These two forms of sovereignty can come into tension. For example, joining the European Union involves transferring some internal legislative powers to supranational institutions, which critics argue undermines both internal and external sovereignty. Supporters counter that member states retain ultimate legal authority through treaty mechanisms and the right to withdraw.
这两种主权形式可能产生紧张关系。例如，加入欧盟意味着将部分内部立法权转移给超国家机构，批评者认为这同时削弱了内部和外部主权。支持者则回应说，成员国通过条约机制和退出的权利保留了最终法律权威。
5. The Balance of Power Concept | 均势概念
The balance of power is a core concept in realist international relations theory. It describes a situation in which no single state or coalition of states is strong enough to dominate all others. The balance can be achieved through internal balancing, such as building up military capacity, or external balancing, such as forming alliances.
均势是现实主义国际关系理论中的一个核心概念。它描述的是没有任何单一国家或国家联盟强大到足以支配其他所有国家的局面。均势可以通过内部制衡（例如加强军事能力）或外部制衡（例如缔结联盟）来实现。
Classical realists such as Hans Morgenthau saw the balance of power as a semi-automatic mechanism that preserves the independence of states. When one state becomes too powerful, others will naturally combine to check its ambitions, restoring equilibrium and preventing hegemony.
汉斯·摩根索等古典现实主义者将均势视为一种半自动机制，用以维护国家独立。当一个国家变得过于强大时，其他国家自然会联合起来遏制其野心，从而恢复平衡并防止霸权。
6. How Sovereignty Shapes the Balance of Power | 主权如何塑造均势
Sovereignty and the balance of power are deeply connected. Because states are sovereign, they act in an anarchic international system with no supreme global government to protect them. This anarchical structure forces states to rely on self-help, which drives them to build power and form balancing coalitions.
主权与均势紧密相连。由于国家是主权的，它们在一个没有全球最高政府保护的无政府国际体系中行动。这种无政府结构迫使国家依靠自助，从而推动它们积累权力并组建制衡联盟。
The balance of power also assumes that states are rational actors capable of weighing threats and opportunities. Sovereignty gives states the legal authority to make these strategic choices independently, including the right to form alliances, acquire weapons, or pursue diplomatic realignment.
均势还假定国家是能够权衡威胁和机遇的理性行为体。主权赋予国家独立作出这些战略选择的法律权威，包括结盟、获取武器或进行外交重新站位的权利。
7. Challenges to State Sovereignty in Global Politics | 全球政治中国家主权面临的挑战
Despite its legal centrality, state sovereignty faces growing practical challenges. Globalisation has intensified cross-border flows of trade, finance, people and information, making it harder for states to control their own economies and borders. Interdependence means that events in one state can rapidly destabilise another.
尽管主权在法律上具有核心地位，但它面临着日益增长的实际挑战。全球化加剧了贸易、金融、人员和信息的跨境流动，使国家更难控制自己的经济和边界。相互依存意味着一个国家的内部事件可能迅速破坏另一个国家的稳定。
Humanitarian intervention and the doctrine of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) have also qualified traditional sovereignty. Under R2P, sovereignty is understood not only as a right but also as a responsibility to protect populations from mass atrocities. If a state fails in this duty, the international community may intervene, even without that state’s consent.
人道主义干预和“保护责任”（R2P）原则也对传统主权构成了限定。根据 R2P，主权不仅被理解为一种权利，还是一种保护人民免受大规模暴行的责任。如果一国未能履行这一义务，国际社会即使未经该国同意也可以进行干预。
8. Globalisation and Pooled Sovereignty | 全球化与主权的汇集
In response to global problems such as climate change, terrorism and financial instability, states increasingly pool sovereignty through international institutions. The European Union, the World Trade Organization and the United Nations all illustrate how sovereign states voluntarily share authority to achieve collective goals that they could not achieve alone.
为了应对气候变化、恐怖主义和金融不稳定等全球性问题，国家越来越多地通过国际机构汇集主权。欧盟、世界贸易组织和联合国都说明了主权国家如何自愿分享权力，以实现它们无法单独完成的集体目标。
Pooled sovereignty does not necessarily mean the end of the state as a key actor. On the contrary, it often strengthens states by enabling them to manage transnational pressures more effectively. However, it does blur the line between purely domestic and international decision-making.
主权的汇集并不一定意味着国家作为关键行为体的终结。相反，它往往通过使国家能够更有效地管理跨国压力而增强国家能力。但它确实模糊了纯国内决策与国际决策之间的界限。
9. Non-State Actors and the State System | 非国家行为体与国家体系
Non-state actors such as terrorist networks, multinational corporations, NGOs and international organisations have become more visible in global politics. Some analysts argue that these actors are eroding the monopoly of states. Terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and Islamic State operate across borders, while tech corporations can influence public opinion and even state security.
恐怖主义网络、跨国公司、非政府组织和国际组织等非国家行为体在全球政治中变得越来越引人注目。一些分析人士认为，这些行为体正在侵蚀国家的垄断地位。像“基地”组织和“伊斯兰国”这样的恐怖组织跨境运作，而科技公司能够影响公众舆论甚至国家安全。
Yet even powerful non-state actors operate in a world structured by sovereign states. They need territory as a base, financial systems regulated by states, and often negotiate with governments. Thus, while non-state actors complicate international politics, they have not replaced the state as the primary unit of authority.
然而，即使强大的非国家行为体，也运作在一个由主权国家构成的世界中。它们需要领土作为基地，需要受国家监管的金融体系，并经常与政府进行谈判。因此，虽然非国家行为体使国际政治复杂化，但它们并未取代国家作为主要权威单位的地位。
10. Realism vs Liberalism on Sovereignty and Power | 现实主义与自由主义关于主权和权力的争论
Realism and liberalism offer rival interpretations of sovereignty and the balance of power. Realists see sovereignty as the foundation of a competitive, anarchic system in which military power and national interest dominate. For realists, the balance of power is the central ordering mechanism that prevents any single state from achieving hegemony.
现实主义与自由主义对主权和均势提供了相互竞争的解释。现实主义者将主权视为一个充满竞争的、无政府体系的基础，在这一体系中，军事力量和国家利益占主导地位。对现实主义者而言，均势是防止任何单一国家实现霸权的核心秩序机制。
Liberals accept the importance of states but argue that sovereignty can be transformed through international cooperation, law and institutions. They claim that the balance of power is not the only path to security; collective security, economic interdependence and democratic norms can create a more peaceful international order.
自由主义者承认国家的重要性，但认为主权可以通过国际合作、法律和制度加以改造。他们声称，均势并非通往安全的唯一途径；集体安全、经济相互依存和民主规范可以创造更加和平的国际秩序。
11. Case Studies: Sovereignty in the 21st Century | 21 世纪的主权案例
The invasion of Iraq in 2003 highlighted the tension between sovereignty and intervention. The US-led coalition argued that Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction and human rights record justified overriding its sovereignty, while critics saw the invasion as a violation of the UN Charter and the principle of non-intervention.
2003 年入侵伊拉克凸显了主权与干预之间的紧张关系。以美国为首的联盟认为，伊拉克据称拥有大规模杀伤性武器及其人权纪录足以成为凌驾其主权的理由，而批评者则认为入侵违反了《联合国宪章》和不干涉原则。
Brexit offers another case study. The UK’s decision to leave the European Union was framed by supporters as ‘taking back control’ of sovereignty, particularly over borders, laws and money. Opponents argued that pooled sovereignty had actually enhanced UK influence and economic security. This case shows that sovereignty remains a powerful political symbol as well as a legal concept.
英国脱欧提供了另一个案例。英国支持脱欧者将退出欧盟描述为“夺回对主权、特别是对边境、法律和货币的控制”。反对者则认为，汇集主权实际上增强了英国的影响力和经济安全。这一案例表明，主权仍然是一个强大的政治象征，同时也是一种法律概念。
12. Conclusion: Sovereignty, Power and the Future State System | 结论：主权、权力与未来国家体系
States remain key actors in global politics because sovereignty gives them legal authority, coercive capacity and a central role in the balance of power. While globalisation, humanitarian intervention and non-state actors have challenged traditional sovereignty, they have not abolished the state system. Instead, the meaning and practice of sovereignty are being renegotiated.
国家仍然是全球政治中的关键行为体，因为主权赋予它们法律权威、强制能力以及在均势中的核心角色。虽然全球化、人道主义干预和非国家行为体对传统主权构成挑战，但它们并未废除国家体系。相反，主权的含义和实践正在被重新协商。
For Edexcel AS candidates, the key is to remember that sovereignty is both a legal principle and a contested political claim. The balance of power shows how sovereign states manage rivalry in an anarchic world, but it also reveals the limits of power in an increasingly interdependent global order.
对于 Edexcel AS 考生来说，关键是要记住：主权既是一项法律原则，也是一种充满争议的政治主张。均势展示了主权国家如何在无政府世界中管理竞争，但它也揭示了在日益相互依存的全球秩序中权力的局限性。
Published by TutorHao | Politics Revision Series | aleveler.com
更多咨询请联系16621398022（同微信）
屏轩国际教育cambridge primary/secondary checkpoint, cat4, ukiset,ukcat,igcse,alevel,PAT,STEP,MAT, ibdp,ap,ssat,sat,sat2课程辅导，国外大学本科硕士研究生博士课程论文辅导