The National Security of Small States in a Changing World by Efraim Inbar & Gabriel Sheffer

Author:Efraim Inbar & Gabriel Sheffer [Inbar, Efraim & Sheffer, Gabriel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780714643397
Goodreads: 12502302
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 1997-05-01T00:00:00+00:00

DEFINITIONS

A convenient way to define a ‘small state’ is by population: it is a developed country with a population of up to 20 million or a developing country with a population of up to 35 million. According to data published by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) countries have the following population: Romania – 23 million; Iraq – 20 million; Israel – 5 million; Kazakhstan – 17 million; and Taiwan – 21 million. Another convenient way is to define a ‘small power’ by the size of its armed forces. According to IISS estimates the same countries have the following armed forces: Romania – 230,000 soldiers and 427,000 reserves; Iraq – 382,000 soldiers and 650,000 reserves; Israel – 172,000 soldiers and 430,000 reserves; Kazakhstan – 40,000 soldiers and no reserves; finally, Taiwan -425,000 soldiers and 1.6 million reserves. These countries possess the military means to fight on land, sea (except for Kazakhstan) and air; this shows that they are really powers with a capacity to defend themselves and, in particular cases, to project military power beyond their borders. Furthermore, some of these countries are located in regions of social and military conflict (Israel, Iraq and Taiwan); others emerged from the Cold War conflict (Romania and Kazakhstan). The history of involvement of these countries in sensitive military affairs gives them at least a small power status.

The international relations literature makes a distinction between a weak state with characteristics of internal divisive-ness, high repressiveness, limited political legitimacy and weak internal political and social institutions, and on the other hand, great and medium regional and local powers. Canada is a strong state and society (if Quebec does not separate) and a weak military power. Iran is a strong local power but it may be a weak state, depending on one's assessment of its internal situation and the quality of its institutions. Romania is a weak local power and a weak state and society. Despite Iraq's defeat at the hands of the Western coalition in the Gulf War in 1991, it is potentially a strong local and regional power and a weak state because of its continuing internal difficulties. Israel is a strong local and regional power because of its capacity to project power and is a strong state and society because of the capacity of its political and social institutions to deal with its problems through negotiation and coercive diplomacy. Kazakhstan is a weak state because of its retarded economic and political development as a former Soviet republic but it is a local power of sorts because of its erstwhile important position as a linchpin in the Soviet military-industrial complex during the Cold War. Taiwan is a strong local power because of its military capabilities and its internal political and social structure is in transition from a position of weakness (as a result of one-party and military authoritarianism) to an emergent democracy with a broader base of political legitimacy.

This brief discussion uses three different labels for the countries under review: small states, local and/or regional powers, and weak/strong states.

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