The Benefits of a Small Country as a Member of NATO

Abstract

The paper glimpses at the roles of a small country throughout history, and the specific pattern of behavior it develops in interaction with the great powers. Then, after briefly looking at NATO as an alliance, it explores the benefits of a small country as a member of NATO, in particular: participation in decision making, international visibility, collective defense, burden sharing, ability to address new security challenges, democratic reforms, stability, improved relations among European countries, and prosperity. After analysis of the benefits one could argue that the most beneficial for a small country is its security. A country's democracy, stability, and rule of law of lay on the foundations set by the security of the country. On the other hand, the principle of consensus and unanimity gives something that small countries never had before, it involves them into the decision making process on an equal basis as the great powers. Nevertheless, when one combines these benefits one can conclude that the greatest benefit for a small country as a member of NATO is the ability to command their own destiny.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 08, 2010
Accession Number
ADA603364

Entities

People

  • Vlade Bisoski

Organizations

  • Marine Corps University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Alliances
  • Cold War
  • Democracy
  • European Union
  • Geography
  • Globalization
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • National Security
  • Nato
  • Political Systems
  • Security
  • Treaties
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • International Relations and European Studies
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Systems Analysis and Design