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Small States and Neutrality: Ensuring Independence and Sovereignty in Global Politics

Explore the concept of neutrality in international relations, focusing on small states and their strategic choices. Understand the types of neutrality, advantages, and historical examples. Discover how neutrality can shape international policies.

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Small States and Neutrality: Ensuring Independence and Sovereignty in Global Politics

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  1. “Small states and neutrality” Dr Archie W. Simpson

  2. Overview • The Melian Dialogue • What is neutrality? • Types of neutrality • Small states and neutrality • The ‘big’ five • Other small states and neutrality • Conclusions

  3. The Melian dialogue “The History of the Peloponnesian War” By Thucydides Melos was small, neutral island. Athens viewed Melos as strategically important. Called Melos to pay tribute and join Athenian allies or pay heavy costs. Melos refused. Athens attacked, killed all men, took women and children as slaves and controlled Melos.

  4. What is neutrality? “A collective and voluntary form of noncombatancy”, Waltzer, 1992 Political and security considerations. Conditioned by Legal criteria. Involves four key principles: 1. Non-participation in wars involving others 2. Not starting wars 3. Defending neutrality 4. Abstain from certain policies

  5. Types of neutrality Ad Hoc neutrality Neutrality by choice to avoid participation in war De Jure neutrality Neutrality by international law De Facto neutrality Conventional neutrality; by policy Non-alignment Cold War neutrality

  6. Small states and neutrality • Neutrality seen as a security guarantee to abstain from power politics of larger powers. • Maintain independence and sovereignty. • Geo-political factors especially location. • Some advantages: • Neutral states can become ‘honest broker’ or ‘middleman’ • Able to host international organizations and NGO’s e.g. IAEA or Red Cross • Neutrality offers template for other policies.

  7. The ‘big’ five Switzerland: neutral since 1814 Part of the Congress of Vienna Austria: neutral since 1955 Part of deal to see end of Allied occupation Finland: neutral since 1948 1948 Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance Ireland: neutral since 1930s Sweden: neutral since around 1812 Loss of territory during Napoleonic wars

  8. Other neutral small states Andorra: Neutral since World War Two Cyprus: Gave up neutral position following EU membership Liechtenstein: Surrounded by other neutrals Malta: Neutrality written into constitution Vatican City: Neutral due to religious status

  9. Conclusions • Neutrality is sometimes viewed as controversial especially in times of general warfare. • Small states are more likely to adopt neutrality than larger states as a means of securing independence and sovereignty. • Since the end of the Cold War, neutrality is less relevant.

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