Technology plays a critical role in geopolitics today and is an active agent in international relations. The technological prowess of a nation-state is closely correlated with its economic capability and military strength. Usually in international politics, realism is considered a primary driving force behind technological competition. However, this drive for technological competition sometimes ends up creating a technological compulsion among nation-states.  

The aim of this article is to explore what technological compulsion is and the reasons behind it. This article also examines how technological compulsion affects international relations and geopolitics and the conditions under which it arises. It uses historical anecdotes and contemporary events to point out that technological compulsion exists.