Why Do States Seek to Acquire Nuclear Weapons?

Authors

  • Hamdan Hamedan The Monterey Institute of International Studies, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33172/jp.v3i1.157

Abstract

Conventional wisdom maintains that security concerns are the primary motivation for states to seek nuclear weapons. Indeed, history has shown that the predominant decisions to go nuclear (starting from the U.S., the Soviet Union, China, Israel, Pakistan, and to North Korea) appear to be motivated by security concerns. Yet, the fact there have been nuclear-capable states with precarious security concerns that have decided not to seek nuclear weapons serve to challenge the aforementioned conventional wisdom. Moreover, further research and case-by-case study coupled with understanding of the fact that each state in the world has different security condition and challenges show that security concerns are, in reality, not always the primary motivation.

References

Potter, William C. 1982. Nuclear Power and Nonproliferation. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Oelgeschlager, Gunn & Hain, Inc.

Journals

Sagan, Scott D. 1996. "Why Do States Build Nuclear Weapons?: Three Models in Search of a Bomb". International Security. Vol.21. No.3.

Websites

Lieggi, Stephanie, "The Nonproliferation Tiger: Indonesia's Impact on Nonproliferation in Asia and Beyond NTI", NTI: Nuclear Threat Initiative, March 5, 2012, http://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/nonproliferation-tiger-indonesias-impact-nonproliferation-asia-and-beyond/, accessed November 10, 2014.

"Mining and Minerals in South Africa", South Africa's Official Gateway, 27 March 2008, <http://www.southafrica.info/doing_business/economy/key_sectors/mining.htm>.

"South Africa’s Apartheid-Era Germ Warfare Program Investigated", The Henry L. Stimson Center, January 1999, http://www.stimson.org/cbw/?sn=cb20020113266, accessed 27 March 2008.

Interview

Indonesian diplomat in discussion with the author, May 2009.

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Published

2017-10-27

How to Cite

Hamedan, H. (2017). Why Do States Seek to Acquire Nuclear Weapons?. Jurnal Pertahanan: Media Informasi Tentang Kajian Dan Strategi Pertahanan Yang Mengedepankan Identity, Nasionalism Dan Integrity, 3(1), 33–42. https://doi.org/10.33172/jp.v3i1.157

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2017)

Section

Articles

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