To free or not to free (ride): a comparative analysis of the NATO burden-sharing in the Czech Republic and Lithuania

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Gynybos išlaidos; Gynybos politika; NATO; Saugumas; Čekija (Čekijos karalystė, Czech); Čekija (Čekijos karalystė, Czech); Czech Republic; Defence expenditure; Defence policy; Defence spending; Lithuania; NATO; Security.

ENThe recent rise in the defence budgets among the NATO members reawakens the free-riding dilemma. This article provides an analysis of the defence spending of two new member states, the Czech Republic and Lithuania. Based on the free-riding theory, we explain why some of the new NATO members decide to increase their defence budgets (Lithuania), and others do not (Czech Republic). In contrast to the majority of works which focus either on the US as the biggest spender or on the “old” members of the Alliance, we explain under what circumstances some of the small European states who became new NATO members started to increase their defence budgets even though they do not have to, and the literature suggests that free-riding is easier. In the process, we identify three crucial factors that influence the decision-making process in this regard: the level of threat perception, economic situation, and the US pressure. [From the publication]

• The Significance of scouting in contemporary society: a defence perspective from the Baltic States / Jaroslav Dvorak, Urszula Staśkiewicz. Romanian journal of European affairs 2023, vol. 23, no. 2, p. 26-48.
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