Bandwagoning

In realist theories of international relations, bandwagoning refers to the act of weaker states joining a stronger power or coalition within balance of power politics. The term is opposed to balancing, and unlike balancing, is a relatively new term. Bandwagoning was coined by Quincy Wright in A Study of War (1942) and popularized by Kenneth Waltz in Theory of International Politics (1979) (in his work, Waltz incorrectly attributes Stephen Van Evera with coining the term).

Bandwagoning occurs when weaker states decide that the cost of opposing a stronger power exceeds the benefits to be gained from supporting it. The stronger power may offer incentives, such as the possibility of territorial gain or trade agreements for the weaker states, to induce weaker states to join with it.