The Political Economy of NATO: Past, Present, and into the 21st Century.

• Jurisdiction: Australia
• Date: 01 January 1999
• Author: Corkeron, Gerard
• Published date: 01 January 1999
• Author: Corkeron, Gerard

Todd Sandler and Keith Hartley. 1999. The Political Economy of NA TO: Past, Present, and into the 21st Century. Cambridge University Press

For most Australian readers, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is of peripheral interest at best. Our main military alliance is with the US, and the focus of that relationship is the Asia-Pacific region. Nevertheless, Australian trade with the European Union is significant, and many Australians have relatives still living in parts of Europe that are prone to instability. Australia therefore has an interest in peace and stability in Europe, and that interest is primarily based on economic considerations and pressures from domestic constituencies. While instability in Europe might not threaten Australia's physical security, it would affect its economic security. The security that NATO affords Europe therefore provides significant benefits to Australia at no cost.

NATO also serves as a model of a durable and effective multilateral military alliance. The same cannot be said of many of the multilateral alliances that Australia has been a member of in the Asia-Pacific region. They have lacked durability, as examples such as ANZUS and SEATO illustrate. The decline of these alliances are due to political differences, but it is interesting...