"Can Collective Defence mechanisms serve as effective structures to ensure regional peace and stability today?".
Contemporary regional security remains a vital element in the peace and stability of not only neighbouring countries within a region but also to the security and harmony of the international arena. Regional security can take on the form of a single security mechanism or can encompass a variety of security mechanisms in an attempt to attain the same objective of regional peace, stability and security. .
There are many methods of attaining regional security in existence and range from traditional mechanisms such as such as Collective Defence to the more contemporary approach of Co-operative Security. Each of these mechanisms contribute to regional security via numerous methods depending on that particular security need for the region. Collective Defence, although dated as a security mechanism, can still be seen as contributing an important role in regional stability under the specific environment in which it is created and employed. Alternative security mechanisms, however, may provide a broader application to assist states in maintaining peaceful interaction with their neighbours. .
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In discussing the relationship of Collective Defence in regional stability we must define what Collective Defence incorporates, it's advantages and its limitations. We also have to identify what encompasses a region, within the scope of this paper.
Collective Defence, also known as Alliances, have been the traditional form of security within regions over the last two centuries. The Oxford Dictionary defines "Collective Security" as a "policy or principle of the alliance of several countries to guarantee the security of each one" and "Defence" as "defending from or resistance against attack" . From these definitions we can safely state that Collective Defence in its literally meaning is the principle of several countries guaranteeing the security of each other, against the attack from another.