Civil Armies, Civil Societies, and NATO's Enlargement

As NATO's membership and function widen, it transits from a "latent war community" to something akin to an international regime aimed at collective security. During and after such a process, successful integration into the "new" alliance will have little to do with a state&#...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Armed forces and society 1998-10, Vol.25 (1), p.137-159
Main Author: NELSON, DANIEL N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Armed Forces
Armies
Army
Civil defense
Civil Society
Civil-military relations
Collective security
Defenses
Europe
Expansionism
International relations
International security
Membership
Military aspects
National security
NATO enlargement
North Atlantic treaty organization
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Regional security
Social aspects
Society
Sociology, Military
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Summary:As NATO's membership and function widen, it transits from a "latent war community" to something akin to an international regime aimed at collective security. During and after such a process, successful integration into the "new" alliance will have little to do with a state's military contribution or strategic advantage. Instead, principal emphasis will be placed on how a state and its army behave. This discussion concerns the behavioral standards of a "civil army"—an ideal type to which no system can lay claim, but which allows comparative assessments. In a brief survey of east-central and southeast Europe, attention is given to signs of criminality, procurement fraud, limited civilian roles in defense, diminished public image of armies, low compliance of high commands, and other evidence that building civil armies requires further effort. Concluding comments note policy alternatives for U. S. and NATO efforts to accelerate civil-military transitions.
ISSN:0095-327X
1556-0848
DOI:10.1177/0095327X9802500109