Nuclear Essay

Introduction
Nuclear proliferation is a phenomenon since 1945. There are only five states
officially recognised as nuclear weapon states (Howlett, 2011). However other
states in the international system are suspected of or already possess nuclear
weapons. Given the destructive nature of nuclear weapons, nuclearisation is a
concern for world peace and stability. This essay will examine the main cause that
lead to nuclearisation which is best explain using the realist tenets of rational,
security seeking states living in anarchic international system.
Classical Realism
Realism is arguably the most dominant theory in IR (Sterling-Folker, 2013). It has
roots in the writing of Thucydides, Thomas Hobbes and more contemporary writing
of Han Morgenthau an E.H Carr. The theory describes a state centric anarchic world
without an overarching world government where states are in a perpetual state of
war. This perpetual state of war is explained through human natures lust for power
and is the cause of conflict. Its tenets include the centrality of the state and limited
to no importance of International Organisations, states are unitary, rational actors
and their dominant national interest is their security and ultimately their survival.
Self-help is the worlds modus operandi. Power is defined in mainly military terms
(Dunne and Schmidt, 2011). States develop their capabilities and also balance
against each other prevents the domination of the system by one state.
USSR

The predecessor to the Russian state, the USSR started its nuclear program after
the discovery of the secret Manhattan Project nuclear program of the US before the
end of WWII. USSR started in 1943 the process of developing nuclear weapons. It
was expedited by Stalin in 1945 after the US used the weapon against Japan. Before
the end of the 1940s the USSR successfully acquired a nuclear weapon (Newtan,
2007). Despite the USSR and the US being allies during WW II, the USSR showed
rationality in its actions by not relying on any other state to ensure its survival. The
USSR sought its own survival and advancement of its power by acquiring the most
powerful weapon in the international system after the security dilemma created by
the US nuclear weapon program. The actions of the USSR also acted as a balance to
the power of the US preventing earlier US hegemony. The balancing between the
two states led to a long period of arms racing known as the Cold War (Cox, 2011)
Israel
Israeli nuclear program was established by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion in
1950s (Cohen, 1998). It had help from the US, France and Norway for a peaceful
nuclear program. It was until the 1960s that the US and other states grew
suspicious of the Israeli program. The Israeli Dimona reactor was declared critical in
1963. Today Israel is believed to have produced nuclear weapons with numbers
ranging in the hundreds (Kumar, 2009). Israel is at a very high risk of war with
enemy states surrounding it on all fronts. It has a small population and is unable to
have a very large standing army, to make up for its void in capabilities and the
security dilemma Israel rationally invested in a nuclear program to balance the
superiority of it Arabian enemies. It sought to ensure its security by deterrence.
Israel became the first and only Middle Eastern country to be nuclearized and it has
balanced attempts by other M.E nuclearisation attempts by striking reactors in Iraq

1981 and Syria 2007. Israel establishment on Arabian soil made it a target and it
could not rely on powerless international organisations to ensure its survival so it
Israel helped itself by developing superior capabilities.
North Korea
North Korean (DPRK) nuclearisation became a concern between 1991 and 1993; the
1994 Agreed Framework was expected to end the worlds concern. However the
DPRK pursued its national interest of survival which was defined by the acquisition
of a nuclear weapon, this was defined by its 2003 withdrawal from the NonProliferation Treaty (Pritchard, 2007). In 2006 and in 2008 the DPRK tested nuclear
weapons, not cooperating with the six party talks. It is believed that they possess
about 10 nuclear weapons as they have the capabilities to produce enriched
plutonium, however they lack delivery capabilities. The DPRK as a state is under
threat from the US and other powerful states being labelled by Pres. Bush as an axis
of evil (Lebow,2007). To deter attacks the state pursued nuclear weapons without
concern of the other states which cannot guarantee its survival. Acquiring a nuclear
weapon would also increase its leverage, power and glory in the international
system by acquiring the gold standard of weapons (Hymans, 2006). DPRK a realist
state cherishes its sovereignty and prevention of international interventions and
invasions. It follows that it was a rational approach to pursue nuclear weapons as a
deterrent to invasion (Howlett, 2011), after analysing the invasion of Iraq.
Conclusion
To conclude the pursuit of nuclear weapons by states is best explained by realism.
From the case studies above the nuclearisation of states happens for a variety of
reason. Namely, to ensure its survival in face of a security dilemma created by

powerful and neighbouring states, self-help in face of perpetual war and conflict, to
increase power and capabilities to influence the international system, to balance the
power of other nuclear states as well as preventing infringements of its sovereignty
in the anarchic world environment.