MidPower

Midpower, often termed middle power in international relations, refers to a state that operates with a level of influence between great powers and smaller states. Midpowers typically have enough resources to pursue independent foreign policy goals, participate actively in multilateral institutions, and help broker international outcomes, but they do not possess the overwhelming military or economic leverage of the world’s leading powers. The concept is descriptive and fluid, varying with regional context and changing power distributions.

Common characteristics include a commitment to multilateralism, a preference for rules-based diplomacy, and a capacity to mobilize coalitions. Midpowers often rely on soft power, normative leadership, and selective use of influence rather than coercive force. They may prioritize issues such as climate policy, development assistance, peacekeeping, and dispute resolution, leveraging diplomatic networks to shape global norms and standards. Economically, midpowers may be robust but not dominant players, giving them flexibility to pursue independent or coalition-based strategies.

In practice, midpowers act as mediators, norm entrepreneurs, and coalition builders within international organizations and regional groups. They face limitations from relative fragility in hard power and vulnerability to larger powers’ strategic competition. The classification is not fixed; states can shift into or out of the midpower category as their power profiles evolve.

Examples commonly cited as midpowers include Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Singapore, and South Korea. India and Brazil are sometimes described as rising midpowers or major regional players, reflecting broader debates about category boundaries.