Strains on NATO
Strange, Susan. “Strains on NATO.” In Year Book of World Affairs 1956, edited by George W. Keeton, Georg Schwarzenberger, 21-41. London: Stevens, 1956.
Taking as her starting point that NATO is under strain, Strange argues that policy between NATO members is barely co-ordinated, that its membership is too skewered towards colonial powers and that therefore to outsiders (especially African and Asian states) it is seen as ‘rich-mans-club’. However, while these problems might be alleviated by better diplomatic practice between the members, what is really required is representation for those states outside NATO in a forum with the dominant states (especially the US and UK). Strange concludes (on a theme to which she would often return) that inequality across the international system was itself disruptive and problematic and military alliances in the long run could do little to halt the pressure for some sort of change in the international system itself.
Keywords: Security; International Relations