Collective Defenders
7. Massively Parallel Roles & Tasks
Collective Defenders are alliances of nations (or other social groups) who feel that the best way to defend themselves from attack by unscrupulous foreign (or domestic) rivals is by agreeing to pool their resources to build a common defense. They further agree to come to one another's aid in the event of an actual attack. This is the classic role of a military alliance like NATO which regards an attack on any alliance member as an attack on all members of the alliance — an attack to which members are committed to respond. While most commonly used to deter international aggression, the same basic principle can apply to any group that feels that its members might be subject to unfair attack. For example, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education provides a kind of collective defense for those whose academic freedom or freedom of speech are being violated.
Resources on this Topic
To see all Guide Resources on this topic, scroll within the resource box.
Stars indicate resources that we think are especially useful.
