CONSENSUS, COMPROMISE, AND CRUSADES: THE DOMESTIC POLITICS OF EUROPEAN SECURITY

In: International journal / Canadian Institute of International Affairs, Band 50, Heft 1, S. 145-159

Abstract

UNDERLYING THE SEVERE DIFFICULTIES WITHIN THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION (NATO) IN RECENT YEARS HAS BEEN A CHANGING EUROPEAN POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT. WHETHER THE ISSUES HAVE CONCERNED THE STRUCTURES OF NATO, MILITARY OR ECONOMIC DIFFERENCES WITH THE SOVIET UNION, OR THE RIFT BETWEEN AMERICAN AND WEST EUROPEAN POLITICAL LEADERS OVER THE THIRD WORLD, A DOMINANT FACTOR HAS BEEN THE DEVELOPOMENT OF A RENEWED EUROPE. WEST EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS ARE NO LONGER COMMITTED TO A UNIFIED VIEW OF THE SOVIET THREAT, PUBLIC OPINION ON SECURITY POLICY IS VOLATILE, AND VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE PEACE MOVEMENTS TO THE GREENS WISH TO AMEND RADICALLY THREE DECADES OF ATLANTIC COMMUNITY CONSENSUS. THIS ARTICLE SURVEYS THE CHANGING VALUES AND PERSPECTIVES AT BOTH ELITE AND MASS LEVELS AND RELATES THEM TO THE VARIOUS CRISES OVER SECURITY POLICY.