| ID | 173167 |
| Title Proper | To free or not to free (ride) |
| Other Title Information | a comparative analysis of the NATO burden-sharing in the Czech Republic and Lithuania |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Pavlíčková, Kristýna ; Bartoszewicz, Monika Gabriela |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | The recent rise in the defence budgets among the NATO members reawakens the free-riding dilemma. This article provides an analysis of the defence spending of two new member states, the Czech Republic and Lithuania. Based on the free-riding theory, we explain why some of the new NATO members decide to increase their defence budgets (Lithuania), and others do not (Czech Republic). In contrast to the majority of works which focus either on the US as the biggest spender or on the “old” members of the Alliance, we explain under what circumstances some of the small European states who became new NATO members started to increase their defence budgets even though they do not have to, and the literature suggests that free-riding is easier. In the process, we identify three crucial factors that influence the decision-making process in this regard: the level of threat perception, economic situation, and the US pressure. |
| `In' analytical Note | Defense and Security Analysis Vol. 36, No.3; Sep 2020: p.335-351 |
| Journal Source | Defense and Security Analysis Vol: 36 No 3 |
| Key Words | NATO ; Defence Expenditure ; Defence Policy ; Lithuania ; Czech Republic ; Freeriding |