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Power and policy - A comparative study on the state use of paramilitary forces in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and Ukraine

Lindgren, Gabriel LU (2020) STVK02 20192
Department of Political Science
Abstract
Combative paramilitary forces are an unconventional but not unusual notion in warfare. The purpose of this study is to explain how the domestic and international power of a state affect its decision to support and align itself with paramilitary forces in war. By comparing the state alignment in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and Ukraine, the study sets out to explain the phenomena by utilizing existing theories of comparative politics and foreign policy analysis. After having classified the two states as domestically powerful and internationally weak, it is concluded that paramilitary alignment can be regarded as a strategy induced by the executive authority of government and the small degree of social organization and cohesion of... (More)
Combative paramilitary forces are an unconventional but not unusual notion in warfare. The purpose of this study is to explain how the domestic and international power of a state affect its decision to support and align itself with paramilitary forces in war. By comparing the state alignment in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and Ukraine, the study sets out to explain the phenomena by utilizing existing theories of comparative politics and foreign policy analysis. After having classified the two states as domestically powerful and internationally weak, it is concluded that paramilitary alignment can be regarded as a strategy induced by the executive authority of government and the small degree of social organization and cohesion of society. Further the study argues that civil members can be regarded as a resource of the state - mobilizable and extractable for military purposes. Lastly the concept of “Bolted Policy” is introduced as a theory of how certain policies can change the domestic power dynamics and hence the strategy of a state. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Lindgren, Gabriel LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK02 20192
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Power, policy, paramilitary, war, action
language
English
id
8999694
date added to LUP
2020-03-03 08:39:41
date last changed
2020-03-03 08:39:41
@misc{8999694,
  abstract     = {{Combative paramilitary forces are an unconventional but not unusual notion in warfare. The purpose of this study is to explain how the domestic and international power of a state affect its decision to support and align itself with paramilitary forces in war. By comparing the state alignment in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and Ukraine, the study sets out to explain the phenomena by utilizing existing theories of comparative politics and foreign policy analysis. After having classified the two states as domestically powerful and internationally weak, it is concluded that paramilitary alignment can be regarded as a strategy induced by the executive authority of government and the small degree of social organization and cohesion of society. Further the study argues that civil members can be regarded as a resource of the state - mobilizable and extractable for military purposes. Lastly the concept of “Bolted Policy” is introduced as a theory of how certain policies can change the domestic power dynamics and hence the strategy of a state.}},
  author       = {{Lindgren, Gabriel}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Power and policy - A comparative study on the state use of paramilitary forces in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and Ukraine}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}