From Neutrality To Military Non-alignment

Sweden has long implemented a "neutral and non-aligned" policy,and the outside world has generally labeled it as "neutral." It has also been proud of it.After1814,by claiming neutrality and avoiding military alliances,Sweden avoided the conflicts and wars that plagued many European countries in the 19 th and 20 th centuries.It also used this status to serve as a party to the conflict during the Cold War and even today.The role of the middle man has even won praise from the world.However,Sweden's neutrality policy has gradually changed over time.And now,the government no longer uses the term "neutrality" but instead uses "military non-alignment." Moreover,it does not exclude the need to take necessary actions in the event of attacks on surrounding or EU member states.At the same time,the people of Sweden are not nearly as supportive of neutrality as they were in the past.This is not only reflected in Sweden's participation in the European Union after the end of the Cold War,but also in Sweden's strengthened relationship with NATO.This article selects Sweden's foreign policy from the end of the Napoleonic Wars to the present,and analyzes the reasons behind the swaying orientation of Sweden's neutral policy in different periods.After reviewing existing domestic and foreign related research,putting forward hypotheses,constructing an analytical framework,and explaining related concepts,the first chapter of this article first describes key regional events in Sweden in the 19 th century,such the positions in the Crimea War and the Danish-Prussian War,then described Sweden's external behavior during the two world wars.The article points out that Sweden,which claims to be neutral,has not really achieved neutrality,but has different approaching objects in different periods,that is,Russia,Britain,Germany,and Western countries led by the United States.The second chapter of this paper discusses Sweden's position on the Paris Coordinating Committee,NATO and the European Community during the Cold War.The article points out that Sweden has not been neutral on the issue of the tradeembargo and defense.It not only complied with the austerity required by the United States to export bearings to the Orient Group,but also kept close contact with NATO in private and maintained intelligence and logistical cooperation,aiming the muzzle at the Soviet Union.Only on the issue of the European Community has Sweden been neutral.The third chapter of this article examines the defense relationship between Sweden and NATO in the post-cold-war era.The end of the Cold War allowed Sweden to put NATO defense cooperation on the table,and it spared no effort in every mission.Until 2014,Sweden had focused its cooperation with NATO on peacekeeping operations and crisis management overseas.After the Crimean incident,it revised its defense strategy,focusing on the surroundings and localizing defense,which was closely related to Russia.Chapter 4 of this article examines Sweden's defense relations with the European Union after the end of the Cold War.The disintegration of the Soviet Union made neutrality lose its former significance,and Sweden was able to join the EU to gain economic benefits and ease the domestic economic crisis.It is because of economic rather than traditional security reasons that made Sweden join the European Union.It has been half-hearted in its defense cooperation with the latter until the signing of the Lisbon Treaty and the Russian-Georgian war.From then on,it no longer pursued military neutrality.The author gives a brief overview at the end of the paper.The article points out that although the neutrality policy allowed Sweden to escape from conflicts and wars in Europe,and became a welfare state envied by many countries.But the erosion of the years and the the problem of generations,it also changed lot of.Today's Swedish government no longer states neutrality,but only emphasizes military non-alignment and does not rule out the provision or acceptance of assistance in the event of EU member states were under attacks and surrounding conflicts.However,the article argues that due to immature internal and external conditions,Sweden will not soon give up its military non-aligned stance in the foreseeable future.Instead,it will further deepen its relationship with NATO and the EU while maintaining the policy as a whole.