Introduction

Introduction

“…It would follow that the decision-making processes by actors within small states would qualitatively differ from those of great powers. 24 However, empirical studies could not verify the hypotheses generated by small state scholars on the behaviour of such states. 25 In a landmark 1975 article, the political scientist Peter Baehr, in an analysis of recent foreign policy decisions made by the governments of several small states, found that such decisions differed wildly both from those made by other small states and from those of larger states.…”

Thucydides or Kissinger? A Critical Review of Smaller State Diplomacy

“…With such paranoia rampant, smaller polities were pictured as dangerous, as "problems" (Benedict, 1967;Diggines, 1985), and so as anomalous, apart from consistently inconsequential (Keohane, 1969). Barston (1973) questioned whether smaller states could have any meaningful foreign policy at all. Similarly, Watson (1982: 159) questioned whether smaller states had the "… resources, experience and sufficient institutional mechanisms to engage in effective dialogue with other states".…”