Manchester University Press
12 The changing security environment of the Nordic region
Abstract
This chapter examines the nature of the post-war security system in northern Europe and the configuration known as the 'Nordic balance'. Whilst the perception of a security threat is much diminished, the talk is of 'security challenges' and 'security risks'. Krister Wahlbäck has commented that the increased importance of the Soviet Kola base represented the biggest change in the immediate security environment of the Nordic region in the twentieth century. Hannu Rautkalli has argued that the Note Crisis was 'pre-arranged' and involved collusion between Urho Kekkonen and various Soviet agents. For most Finns, the Soviet note came as a bolt from the blue and engendered a mood of real foreboding on the streets. Kjell Goldmann has identified two main elements in Sweden's security policy during the Cold War: neutrality based on a credible national defence against a superpower aggressor; and an internationalist programme for peace and security.
Abstract
This chapter examines the nature of the post-war security system in northern Europe and the configuration known as the 'Nordic balance'. Whilst the perception of a security threat is much diminished, the talk is of 'security challenges' and 'security risks'. Krister Wahlbäck has commented that the increased importance of the Soviet Kola base represented the biggest change in the immediate security environment of the Nordic region in the twentieth century. Hannu Rautkalli has argued that the Note Crisis was 'pre-arranged' and involved collusion between Urho Kekkonen and various Soviet agents. For most Finns, the Soviet note came as a bolt from the blue and engendered a mood of real foreboding on the streets. Kjell Goldmann has identified two main elements in Sweden's security policy during the Cold War: neutrality based on a credible national defence against a superpower aggressor; and an internationalist programme for peace and security.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- List of tables vii
- Preface ix
- List of abbreviations xi
-
Part I Scandinavia past and present
- 1 The eight quills of the swan 3
- 2 Nation-building and state-building, 1809–1944 25
-
Part II Parties in developmental perspective
- 3 The emergence of the Scandinavian party system(s) 51
- 4 The historic strengths of the five main types of party 72
-
Part III Parties, voters and social change: w(h)ither the Scandinavian party system model?
- 5 The ‘earthquake elections’ of 1970–73 and the emergence of new party types 101
- 6 Party system change since 1970 133
-
Part IV The Nordic model
- 7 A Nordic model of government? 151
- 8 The Nordic welfare model 170
-
Part V Legislative–executive relations in the Nordic region
- 9 The Nordic parliaments 193
- 10 ‘Fairly strong standing committees’ and ‘influential party groups’ – a distinctively Nordic mix? 209
- 11 Nordic government(s) 229
-
Part VI The strategic security environment
- 12 The changing security environment of the Nordic region 259
- 13 ‘Reluctant Nordics’, ‘reluctant Europeans’, but ‘moral superpowers’? 297
- Epilogue 340
- Index 344
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- List of tables vii
- Preface ix
- List of abbreviations xi
-
Part I Scandinavia past and present
- 1 The eight quills of the swan 3
- 2 Nation-building and state-building, 1809–1944 25
-
Part II Parties in developmental perspective
- 3 The emergence of the Scandinavian party system(s) 51
- 4 The historic strengths of the five main types of party 72
-
Part III Parties, voters and social change: w(h)ither the Scandinavian party system model?
- 5 The ‘earthquake elections’ of 1970–73 and the emergence of new party types 101
- 6 Party system change since 1970 133
-
Part IV The Nordic model
- 7 A Nordic model of government? 151
- 8 The Nordic welfare model 170
-
Part V Legislative–executive relations in the Nordic region
- 9 The Nordic parliaments 193
- 10 ‘Fairly strong standing committees’ and ‘influential party groups’ – a distinctively Nordic mix? 209
- 11 Nordic government(s) 229
-
Part VI The strategic security environment
- 12 The changing security environment of the Nordic region 259
- 13 ‘Reluctant Nordics’, ‘reluctant Europeans’, but ‘moral superpowers’? 297
- Epilogue 340
- Index 344
