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While the recent interest in the international role of middle-sized powers may be traced back to the end of the Second World War, some European writers of earlier centuries touched upon the subject. Both the older and the modern writers have used the term 'middle powers' in various senses and have failed to draw up satisfactory criteria for distinguishing them from other states. Yet, it is possible to examine the roles of middle-sized powers by studying their behaviour in a variety of historical situations. Here their typical roles are outlined in several distinct situations of the 'bipolar' system, namely, cold war, condominium and détente, as well as in two characteristic situations of the 'multipolar' system, namely, concert and competitive balance of power.
Carsten Holbraad (Mon,) studied this question.