The role of elite activism in changing security policy: The cases of Ceausescu, Sadat, Nixon, and Gorbachev (Nicolae Ceausescu, Anwar Sadat, Richard M. Nixon, Mikhail Gorbachev, Romania, Egypt, Soviet Union)

Significant changes have occurred in international relations since 1989. This study examined the deliberate efforts of top leaders to bring about such alterations. In particular, it explored the tactics used by four modern leaders that facilitated change in specific aspects of their respective countries' security policies. The cases scrutinized were Nicolae Ceausescu's pursuit of greater autonomy for Romania in security policy from the Soviet Union; Anwar Sadat's efforts to ease tensions between Egypt and Israel; Richard Nixon's policy of lessening hostilities between the United States and China; and Mikhail Gorbachev's pursuit of renewed detente between the superpowers as well as his policy of granting autonomy to Eastern Europe.; The study used the comparative case study approach. Primary and secondary sources were used in gathering the data. The kinds of primary sources examined were American newspapers and compilations of articles from the international press.; The model put forth suggests a relationship between the political maneuvering of top leaders, the respective government structures in which they operate, the position of their respective countries in the international system, and change in security policy. The government structure and the position of a country in the international system may enable or constrain the ability of a top leader to make a desired shift in security policy. In regard to the actions a top leader may take to bring about a change in policy, a typology was proposed to classify such tactics. Results indicate that the tactics of top leaders are important in altering security policy. Implications of the study include the following: the individuals occupying political offices are important and that individuals must be taken into account in addition to the variables of institutions and culture in explaining political phenomenon.