Nuclear Exits: Countries foregoing the nuclear option

Many countries have the capacity to construct nuclear weapons - even relatively poor and small ones, as the North Korean example shows us. So far, only one country - South Africa – has voluntarily given up its nuclear weapons programme. Three others - Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus - gave up the Soviet Union’s nuclear weapons after the end of the Cold War. A number of others (including Australia, Sweden and Switzerland) have at one time or another made plans to build nuclear weapons, but eventually opted not to do so.

These stories can shed significant light on the prospects for nuclear disarmament – one of the biggest global challenges of our time. Yet they have received little scrutiny in the academic literature to date. This volume addresses that gap, bringing together scholars, practitioners and politicians to reflect on the history of nuclear exits (and nuclear non-entries) and to draw out some key lessons for future nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts.

Although progress on reducing nuclear arsenals has been frustratingly slow, there are strong indications that world opinion is increasingly supportive of nuclear exits. Organizations such as International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the World Medical Association have all taken a strong stand against nuclear weapons.

Ultimately ridding the world of nuclear weapons requires politicians to take determined action – to decide in favour of nuclear exits. The chapters in this volume show that such decisions are possible and that a worldwide nuclear exit is achievable – within our lifetimes.

This book was published as a special issue of Medicine, Conflict and Survival.

Vappu Taipale is a child psychiatrist, former minister of health and social affairs in Finland. She is also a member and chair of the United Nations University Council, Honorary President, International Society for Gerontechnology, co-president of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) 2008-2012 and chair, of the Union for Senior Services in Finland.

Ilkka Taipale is a social psychiatrist. He was a member of Parliament in 1971-75 and 2000-07, and of Helsinki City Council 1969–80 and from 1993 onwards. He has edited books on peace, war and social medicine. Titles include War or Health (2001), and One Hundred Social Innovations from Finland, in English (2007). His works have been published in no less than twenty languages.