Military Parades as Power Politics: Why Spectacle Still Matters in Global Rivalries

Power politics is no longer confined to the battlefield—it now marches through the streets. Military parades have evolved into powerful instruments of diplomacy and deterrence, where nations choreograph their strength, unity, and ambition before a global audience. From Beijing’s high-tech displays of AI-driven drones to North Korea’s midnight spectacles and France’s democratic traditions, these performances reveal how states project legitimacy, forge alliances, and shape international narratives.

In my latest commentary, “Military Parades as Power Politics: Why Spectacle Still Matters in Global Rivalries,” I explore how these grand displays serve as both instruments of propaganda and indicators of shifting power balances in the 21st century. They are no longer mere rituals—they are strategic communications designed to influence perceptions, challenge adversaries, and define global order.

As parades become theaters of geopolitical signaling, one must ask:
Are we witnessing the return of ritualized militarism—or the birth of a new language of global power?