Europeanization of defense: prospects of consensus?

Peter Schmidt

Expert InsightsPublished 1984

This paper discusses the prospects for West European consensus on a policy of "Europeanization" of its defense. It distinguishes four models: (1) the "European approach," in which the main responsibility for security would be vested in a centralized European government, or the individual nation-states working together; (2) the "two-pillar approach," which would strengthen European influence in NATO by establishing two decisionmaking circles within the Alliance without changing basic responsibilities; (3) the "transnational approach," which would improve cooperation in defense-related matters without changing either NATO or the way in which defense decisions are made; and (4) the "diffusion approach," which would diffuse the centers of power by weakening NATO and improving relations with the Soviet Union. The author examines the likelihood that any of these approaches would be adopted by considering the motives behind the general public debate, the attitudes of European "elites," the political-strategic interests of European states, and the history of "Europeanization" efforts.

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Schmidt, Peter, Europeanization of defense: prospects of consensus? Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1984. https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P7042.html.
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