Security Dilemma

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

The situation in which one state's efforts to increase its own security — such as building arms — inevitably cause other states to feel less secure and respond in kind, producing a spiral of tension even when no state intends aggression

History and origin

Coined by John Herz in 1950; foundational concept in international relations theory

Examples

• The security dilemma explains why arms races can develop even between states with purely defensive intentions.
• China's military build-up creates a security dilemma for its neighbours, who then seek closer US ties.

Synonyms: arms race dynamic, action-reaction cycle, spiral model