Security Regimes

Security: Theory and Policy

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to identify the types and functions of security regimcs—a set of norms, rules and institutions in security areas. The basic thesis in this paper is that the types and functions of security regimes depend on the types of the international political system and thus on the types of distribution of preferences of individual nations. Four types of international political systems are deduced by utilizing the two dimensions of the nature of the security threats to a group of nations. Security threats lie either outside the group or inside. Security threats are either specific or unspecific (or uncertain). If a specific threat exists outside the group, the international system is adversarial and the structure of interests tends to be zero-sum in nature. In such a suituation, there will be no chance for security regimes to form (except for possible regimes within alliances). If a group of nations “internalize” threats and if the threats are specific, then the international system will be characterized as a regulated balance of power. In such a situation, secuity regimes will form in specific areas and their functions will be to avoid an unbearable and/or inadvertent war. The type of games which appear in this situation will most probably be a serious prisoners' dilemma game.
When threats lie outside the group and are unspecific, then the group will form an alliance and/or a regime which is directed toward the unspecific threats outside. NATO and the US-Japan alliance after the Cold War and “non-proliferation” regimes will be good examples. The game structure will include a suasion game as well as prisoners' dilemma games. When a group of nations internalize the threats and when the threats are not specific, then the group will tend to form a concert system (and in some cases, collective security). A concert system regulates rather overall relations, tends to be informal and seems to be predicated on the game of stag hunting. A prohibition regime which prohibits prodution, possession and use of a certain weapon is inclusive, non-discriminary and thus very similar to environmental or human right regimes.
Security regimes do not have military capabilities by themselves except for alliances and collective security but usually do play indispensable preventive roles.