threat perception of small states

**Bigfella** · 02 Feb 09,, 23:34

Originally Posted by Herodotus

Ironduke is right Costa Rica and the US are close though that is true for many Central American states. All these states were merged as one when the Spainish left, and Mexico basically didn't want them. "With the exception of the Portuguese monarchy seated at Rio de Janerio, the United States was the first nation to recognize the indpendence of the Latin America republics."- Diplomatic Relations between United States and Costa Rica, 1823-882.

Basically with the Monroe Doctrine the US prevented or tried to prevent (not so much luck in Mexico) foreign influences in the Americas. That would explain the lack of overseas invasions, it would not however prevent another local state from invading Costa Rica. I suspect though that due to the fact that all those states in Central America are small with small armies they were not keen on doing too much invading (Though Panama was controlled by Colombia). Also many of the other states in Central America had internal problems; civil wars, bad leaders, etc. that could have kept them from invasion.

So I think it is partially due to the US looking out for Costa Rica, also the lack of opportunities, and the good governance within Costa Rica that has led it to be "invasion-free" in our Lockean world (or perhaps you meant Hobbseian-Hobbes was more clear and more stark about the brutality of life in the state of nature than Locke was).

I could read up more on the issue if you like. I am actually preparing a paper on the role of small states in alliance formation, I can see if anything cross-references with Costa Rica. It is an intriguing state.

Sorry, did mean Hobbseian, leviathan & all that, getting old.

Don't go out of your way, but if anything on Costa Rica pops up do post. It is indeed a fascinating state.

**Ironduke** · 03 Feb 09,, 00:52

Originally Posted by Herodotus

Ironduke is right Costa Rica and the US are close though that is true for many Central American states.

Yes, but Costa Rica is for all practical purposes a US protectorate. There may be closeness between the US and other Central American states, but the US-Costa Rican relationship is extremely exceptional.

Basically with the Monroe Doctrine the US prevented or tried to prevent (not so much luck in Mexico) foreign influences in the Americas.

With the end of the Civil War, the US sent arms and funds to defeat the forces of Maximilian in Mexico. We were just unable at the moment because of the distraction of the Civil War, but when it ended we made up for lost time in short order.