The first area of this argument focuses on indulgence shown clearly defeated powers in the conference table in the century. For example, at the Congress of Vienna in France, despite putting Europe through nearly two decades of bloodshed unprecedented, they were allowed to return to their former borders to war, and later returned to Great Power status in the following decades. This was for the most part to the belief that the balance of power theory had to be used for the management and control of the two opponents and allies. In other words, no State wanted anyone else, even an ally to gain the opportunity to increase its effect in a power vacuum that the defeat of a great power like Napoleonic France was forced to create. After 1815 the great powers settlement in the so-called 'Concert of Europe' actively sought through Congress and diplomacy in general to preserve the balance of power that was defined by the territorial arrangement. It should also be noted that it was moderate success, as a study of the events of 1839-40 show where France, offended in their lack of inclusion in a four-Power intervention in the regime of the Ottoman sultan in his absence, participated in several actions that hinted he was preparing for war, but when the concert four entrenched power France backed down. Therefore, we can see that the balance of power can legitimately be seen to be a condition of …show more content…
This is the point that it is not always a conclusive factor in European international relations of the era, there was no 'power balance' rule 'that meant that states always acted in a definite way when responding to certain triggers. If we study a single incident-unification of Germany in the early 1870's-we believe can add to this point. On this occasion, Prussia, which had always been significantly growing power of the last ten years, and had been a protagonist in two European wars were permitted during this time to attack and defeat France and use the political momentum to unite the remaining southern states and the creation of the German Empire. This event, which overnight made Germany the strongest power in Europe; creating a persistent problem for the European balance went unchecked by the other great powers. There was no international condemnation or intervention as one might expect of States decided in 1815 to force the boundaries of nations collectively, mainly due to other factors that have influenced European politics at the time. While only a single case, it is must to enforce the point is made, and though it may seem redundant to what can be seen by many as a rather obvious point that the balance of power does not always dictate the business needs nevertheless be