CEPPA Talk (in person) – Helen Frowe (Stockholm)

Title: The Permissibility of Collective Defence Agreements

Abstract: Collective defence agreements (CDAs), of the sort that exist between, for example, NATO members, EU members, and African Union members, are a prime example of a prominent deterrence mechanism. They promise a degree of assistance that will make it almost impossible for an adversary to win an aggressive war against any member. On the face of it, then, such agreements seem obviously morally permissible and, indeed, morally desirable. However, I suspect that the moral picture is in fact much more mixed. For example, acting on a CDA is unlikely to minimise harm compared available alternatives. If, as I believe, states are usually subject to a duty to minimise harm when aiding, then acting on CDAs is likely to be permissible only if doing so is exempt from this duty. This talk explores some of the moral issues raised by CDAs and deterrent mechanisms more broadly.

Location: Edgecliffe G03