The Balance of Power during the Cold War

The concept of 'balance of power is an important consideration in the analysis of the cold war which in theory was successful in avoiding any global conflict during the years 1945-1989. It was an ideologically based concept; communism versus democracy, USSR and its allies versus USA and its allies. Balance of power speaks to a situation in which peace is ensured by maintaining equilibrium of alliances between major powers. This equilibrium places checks and balances on any move towards hegemony, the political domination of one state over another. Although the hoped for result of the balan…