Collective Security

One of the most confusing and internationally argued topics that gathers so much debate from professors to journalist, journalist, to politicians, and politicians to generals, is known as collective security. The idea of collective security has been around for centuries dating back to the time of the Greeks, however the credit for creating the idea of modern collective security belongs to Woodrow Wilson who coined the theory a couple of years before the beginning of World War I. The theory basically forms the concept that each nations security no longer depends on it having to defend itself against attacks but rather use the joint security of other nations to deter any signs of aggression that can cause any instability among nations. It follows the Balance of Power Theory, but instead of using force to solve any indifferences to use any and all political actions before it gets out of hand and that no other member is more important than the other: all for one, and one for all (1).

““My conception of the League of Nations is just this, that it shall operate as the organized moral force of men throughout the world and that whenever or wherever wrong and aggression are planned or contemplated, this searching light of conscience will be turned upon them” (2)

In an ideal world, the concept of collective security would be adopted since it would be beneficial for every nation. However, this is not an ideal world, and the theory has been highly criticized from start to finish. Many believe that if a threat were to occur from outside the party than the theory would be useless, (3) as that state is not bounded by any rules and obligations. Another problem consistent with the theory of collective theory is that not every nation may be...

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...generality of the system (12), it creates the depiction of the group as a global security institution to be enduring and nonbiased. These seven fundamental aspects are the key to creating a safer world without the fears of terrorism, civil wars or even a world war constantly on our minds.

As time goes on, new and old threats are clashing in a subtler yet more public way. Today we are facing the threat of terrorism, civil wars, genocide and nuclear wars. As stated earlier, if a threat where to occur from outside a member then the theory of collective security would be useless, terrorism is one of those outside threats. Nations are no longer dealing with another political party to discuss and resolve issues with but rather a small-scale size of people who are fighting for something they consider a just cause, whether it be the ETA, Al-Qaeda, or the Taliban.