Neutrality as a policy choice for small/weak democracies : : learning from the Belgian experience / / by Michael F. Palo.

• VerfasserIn: Palo, Michael F.,
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden Boston : : Brill | Nijhoff,, 2019.
• Year of Publication: 2019
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (598 pages)

In Neutrality as a Policy Choice for Small/Weak Democracies: Learning from the Belgian Experience, Michael F. Palo has three main objectives. First, he employs a counterfactual approach to examine the hypothesis that had permanent neutrality not been imposed on Belgium in 1839, it would have pursued neutrality anyway until war broke out in 1914. Secondly, he analyses why, after abandoning obligatory neutrality during World War I, the Belgians adopted voluntary neutrality in October 1936. Finally, he seeks to use the historical Belgian case study to test specific International Relations’ Theories and to contribute to Small State Studies, especially the behaviour of small/weak democracies in the international system.

Table of Contents

Front Matter -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Preface -- Abbreviations -- Maps -- Introduction: Objectives and Methodology -- A Counterfactual Analysis of the Regime of Permanent Neutrality, 1839–1914 -- An Integrated Level Analysis of Belgian Foreign and Security Policies, 1914–1936 -- An Integrated Level Analysis of the Regime of Voluntary Neutrality, October 1936 and May 1940 -- An Integrated Level Analysis of the Impact of World War ii on Belgian Foreign Policy and Internal Politics -- Small Democratic States in the International System -- Conclusions -- Back Matter -- Bibliography -- Index.