Argument Essay: Australia's Middle Power Diplomacy

With the decline of traditional strong allies and emergence of potential competitors, Australia has adapted to a different diplomacy, the middle power diplomacy(Beeson 2011). This approach can be dated to when Rudd’s government introduced a creative middle power diplomacy to enhance the nation’s interests(Beeson 2011). A similar stand has been taken in countries such as South Korea and Brazil. The questions lie on what is middle power and why take on this diplomacy? Middle power, though has been a rather ambiguous term, is being defined by Gareth Evans (2012) as a state that neither great nor failing, but has the capacity to impact but not dictate the international system. In the article, I would examine the advantages of taking such a position,

Since smaller nations have the tendency to form alliances with more powerful nations, as powerful and wealthier countries are able to exert more political influence. Australia could utilize the position as a middle power to work with smaller countries in the region. As a result, Australia could attain a friendly relationship which will prove to be beneficial in the long term. According to Rod Lyon (2014), academic studies of was display that good relations with neighbours is essential for a peaceful regional community. Australia could contribute much to international political life if it could utilize the advantages it has as being a middle power. Some of the advantages correlate to global interest, for instance, being able to have a bigger role as a bridge between pivotal powers, contribute to the relaxation of global tension, and thus further global interest. Having adopted a middle power stand, Australia has asserted itself being a more prominent voice on global scale, hence it should take up more obligations as a relatively powerful country. In other word, “Where there is great power there is great responsibility”(Churchill 1906) In my opinion, a country should consolidate its force on more alarming