Collective Security

Stages of Collective Security

Collective Security was a deterrence used against aggressive countries, and was enforced to ensure international peace. It came in these following stages (in order)



Moral Disapproval

  • A vote by the Council to decide whether or not to confront
  • Knowing that opinion was against the aggressor's course of action, this stage was used as a deterrence for continuation of the action through pressure of opinion


Economic Sanctions

  • After the failure of moral disapproval
  • Cutting trades with the aggressor


Military Sanctions

  • Last resort in the case of failure of the first two stages
  • Military forces to protect the victim


Weaknesses of Collective Security

Unanimous decisions

  • One negative vote (excluding one from the aggressor) would cause the condemnation to fail
  • This caused the League to be indecisive


Lack of an army

  • The League did not have its own army dedicated for military sanctions
  • There was no guarantee that a military force could be gathered from members that could deal with the action
  • This meant the use of military sanctions was improbable and not seriously taken


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