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One of the mysteries within the study of International Relations is why states that are capable of developing nuclear weapons don’t build them. Many states in the world are able to build nuclear weapons, which are generally considered as the most powerful military weapons available. Little is known about the backgrounds of these states’ decisions to forego nuclear weapons. Far more research has been conducted into the motivations of states to acquire nuclear weapons than into their motivations not to acquire them.
This article aims to bring some further insights to this issue by summarizing the current findings of some ongoing research into those countries who have decided not to develop nuclear weapons. The article begins by identifying those states which theoretically have the potential to build nuclear weapons. After that, an overview is presented of what we know about the motivations of those states that are potentially capable of developing nuclear weapons but have not done so: was this just a non-decision or did they actively decide to forego nuclear weapons production? If the latter, why?
Only by understanding the dynamics of nuclear (non-)proliferation can effective policies to influence those dynamics be made. From that perspective, this article may be helpful to both policy-makers as well as policy influencers like non-governmental experts and activists who are involved in nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament efforts.
For the complete article ‘Forgoing the nuclear option. States that could build nuclear weapons but chose not to do so’, click here or contact the author.
