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Vol. 72 No. 2 (2019): Kryzys na świecie - świat w kryzysie

Security

Active neutrality as part of the security policy of the Republic of Ireland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35757/SM.2019.72.2.07
Submitted: January 26, 2020
Published: September 27, 2019

Abstract

Unlike the countries that have decided to pursue a policy of neutrality due to historical conditions, such as Austria, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, the Irish concept of active neutrality seems to be different and original. Separated from continental Europe by England, and later by the United Kingdom, and having gained independence after World War I, Ireland looked for an optimal model for its own security. Due to geographic conditions, a small population and industrial potential, neutrality was the optimal strategy for Ireland’s security. This article outlines the evolution of the concept of Irish neutrality ranging from the dogmatic and doctrinal one, based on nineteenth-century designs, to the active, flexible and pragmatic one, adapting to the requirements of a changing world. It also describes the successive stages of the transformation of the neutrality policy which were closely related to the subsequent stages of the Irish state’s independence. The paradoxes of Irish neutrality, such as the discrepancy between the official, governmental interpretation of the concept and its social perception, are also presented. The author also attempts to sort out the definitions of neutrality and define the concept of active neutrality.

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