Models of Neutrality: The Traditional and ModernJoenniemi, Pertti
doi: 10.1177/001083678802300201pmid: N/A
In contemporary international relations neutrality is not disappearing, nor is itfully its old self. It is loaded with both problems and promises. This duality callsfor a discussion on the space available for neutrality on two different levels: thepolicies of the main actors and the structural developments of internationalrelations and the level of understanding. It appears, in broad terms, that the latteris a constraint on the former. Neutrality appears to be rich and promising in termsof its history and existing reality, but an underdeveloped, fragmented and toodependent concept of dominant international relations theory. It is therefore theconstitutive aspects of neutrality and the space delineated to it in the ordinarydiscourse that deserve the prime attention in the on-going debate.
The Defense Council of the USSRKarlsson, Hakan
doi: 10.1177/001083678802300202pmid: N/A
The article contributes to the study of the Soviet decision-making structure in national security affairs, focusing on one important but shadowy institution at the highest level of the political system: the Defense Council of the USSR. An attempt is made to determine the status and responsibilities of the council, as well as its likely membership and operating procedures, through various analytical approaches. First, the evidence available from the official Soviet literature on the Defense Council itself is marshaled. Additional insight is gained from the material on historical antecedents, from infor mation about analogous institutions in East European countries, and from statements by Soviet officials. In analyzing the data, particular attention is paid to the question of the position and influence of the Soviet military. The analysis supports the prop osition that current institutional arrangements in the Soviet Union give the professional military privileged access to the national security decision-making process.
The Nordic Countries in International High-Technology Markets: PharmaceuticalsMøller, Kim
doi: 10.1177/001083678802300203pmid: N/A
The aim of this article is to investigate the possible competitive advantages commonto enterprises in more than one of the Nordic countries, and at least to some extentto explain them from specific societal or economic aspects common to the Nordicwelfare states. Pharmaceutical production and export is chosen as the case study, asthis is one example of an international competitive success common to most of theNordic countries. To some extent the source of competitive advantage is thesophisticated demand for pharmaceuticals, represented by the advanced Nordic healthcare systems. The so-called Scandinavian welfare model may in this context beconsidered the source of competitive advantage generally, and the Nordic market as anadvanced home market for the development of what are called welfare technologies andproducts.
Dimensions of HegemonyOugaard, Morten
doi: 10.1177/001083678802300206pmid: N/A
Ougaard, M. Dimensions of Hegemony. Cooperation and Conflict, XXIII,1988, 197- 214.The first section of the article deals briefly with the history of the concept ofinter national hegemony. The second section identifies several dimensions in variousdefi nitions of the concept. The first dimension is the distribution of resourcesimplying that hegemony is defined as a preponderance of material power resources,while the second dimension is control over outcomes. In some definitions the hegemonhas a greater control than other actors, no matter which outcomes are attained. Inother definitions a specific kind of outcome is required, such as the provision ofcertain collective goods. A related question is whether the hegemon takes care ofshared interests or is catering to its own interests, to the detriment of those ofothers. This points to what is arguably a somewhat neglected dimension of hegemony:the underlying pattern of interests. It is suggested that the concept of hegemony isrelevant in situations with common basic interests and secondary but significantcontradictory interests. In such a situation hegemony is defined as one actor'sability to provide for its own interests in conflicts of a secondary nature. Thethird section focuses on the patterns of interests underlying US hegemony. Threepossible changes that can lead to declining hegemony are examined: increasingdifficulties for the common interests, increasing incompatibility between theinterests of the hegemon and its allies, and finally a growing disparity within thehegemon's own interests. The evidence is only suggestive and points in differentdirections, but on balance it tends to strengthen the case for declininghegemony.
Soviet Foreign Policy towards Her European Allies: Interests and InstrumentsNeumann, Iver B.
doi: 10.1177/001083678802300207pmid: N/A
Neumann, I. B. Soviet Foreign Policy towards Her European Allies: Interestsand Instruments. Cooperation and Conflict, XXIII, 1988,215-229.The aim of this article is to construct a taxonomy for possible Sovietinterests towards the CMEA 6, then to discuss what foreign policyinstruments the Soviet Union disposes of, and finally to assess whetherSoviet instruments are capable of fulfilling Soviet interests. Sovietinterests are far-reaching. She wants to have the CMEA 6 as a bufferagainst aggression, and to prevent CMEA 6 complicity in invasion. Her roleas the leader of one of the two main military alliances in the worldunderlines her status as a superpower. At home, the legitimacy of thecommunist regime is enhanced by there being other countries which employthe Soviet model. Effective Soviet foreign policy instruments are indeedlimited. The military instruments at her disposal can only be used at veryhigh political cost, whereas economic subsidies make up an economic cost.The Soviet Union still depends critically on the actual use of force and onthe threat of use of force in her relations with the CMEA 6. As thelong-term costs of using military foreign policy instruments areconsiderable, the prospects for Soviet interest fulfilment towards the CMEA6 are poor.
Transnational Corporations as Global Political Actors: A Literature ReviewUhlin, Anders
doi: 10.1177/001083678802300208pmid: N/A
Uhlin, A. Transnational Corporations as Global Political Actors: A Literature Review.Cooperation and Conflict, XXIII, 1988, 231-247.The primary aim of this research note is to present an inventory of propositions andfindings concerning TNCs as global political actors. As a framework for this analysisI will classify the literature into three main groups and some subgroups. The threemain theoretical schools compared are liberal theory, mercantilist theory andtheories of imperialism. Several aspects of the autonomy and power of TNCs, asproponents of different theoretical schools see it, are analysed. The domain andscope of TNC power are discussed and several power bases are listed. Constraints thatprevent the potential power of TNCs from being implemented are discussed and TNCinstruments for exercising power are listed as well. The scope of the theoreticalperspectives used to study TNCs varies. There is need for a synthesis between theactor-oriented liberal approaches and the structural and system-oriented theories ofimperialism.