Minor Powers, Alliances, and Armed Conflict: Some Preliminary Patterns

The purpose of this article is to review research on formal alliances, with a focus on alliance policies of so-called “minor powers,” often also referred to as “small states.” Specifically, we will address the following two questions: First, what are some sources of minor-power alliance commitments? Or, what are some benefits minor powers can expect from formal alliance ties? Second, what are some consequences of minor-power alliance commitments in terms of armed conflict? Or, are minor powers with formal alliance connections more or less likely than those without such bonds to become involved in militarized disputes and wars? Before dealing with these particular questions, we will first define minor powers and alliances by distinguishing the former from major powers and the latter from alignments and coalitions. Here we will also differentiate briefly between collective defense and collective security.