The Rationality of Defiance
Lessons from NATO's Eastern Flank
An inspiring chronicle of how a small country took a stand against authoritarian behemoths like China and Russia in fierce defence of liberty and democracy.
Description
Global order rests on small states knowing their place and acting accordingly. Countries such as Lithuania or Taiwan that deploy the power of asymmetry to resist their overbearing neighbours are the new ‘troublemakers’, purposefully setting out the rationality of their defiance, inspiring others.
In the unpredictable turmoil of relations between the great powers, military might is supposed to be the only meaningful source of power. Smaller states are taught that resistance is futile and foolish, that hard power matters while soft power is merely decorative. The concepts of international law and human rights are scorned as useless against tanks and missiles; the era of liberal democracy is ridiculed as a short-lived, even absurd, dream. However, as former Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis argues, the strong often find out that they can do much less than they thought, and sometimes that there is nothing they can do at all. The ostensibly weak can find ways to resist superior numbers and sometimes manage to win.
Drawing on his up-close experiences of the ongoing struggles for freedom in Lithuania, Ukraine, Georgia and Taiwan, Landsbergis provides a political and strategic blueprint for smaller states to define their own destinies and achieve the so-called impossible.
Author(s)
Gabrielius Landsbergis is a student of history and an accomplished politician, born under occupation and raised in liberty. As Lithuania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs (2020–4), he positioned himself and his country as leading supporters of freedom for the people of Ukraine, Taiwan and all friends of democracy worldwide.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is "The Rationality of Defiance" about?
Global order rests on small states knowing their place and acting accordingly. Countries such as Lithuania or Taiwan that deploy the power of asymmetry to resist their overbearing neighbours are the new ‘troublemakers’, purposefully setting out the rationality of their defiance, inspiring others.
In the unpredictable turmoil of relations between the great powers, military might is supposed to be the only meaningful source of power. Smaller states are taught that resistance is futile and foolish, that hard power matters while soft power is merely decorative. The concepts of international law and human rights are scorned as useless against tanks and missiles; the era of liberal democracy is ridiculed as a short-lived, even absurd, dream. However, as former Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis argues, the strong often find out that they can do much less than they thought, and sometimes that there is nothing they can do at all. The ostensibly weak can find ways to resist superior numbers and sometimes manage to win.
Drawing on his up-close experiences of the ongoing struggles for freedom in Lithuania, Ukraine, Georgia and Taiwan, Landsbergis provides a political and strategic blueprint for smaller states to define their own destinies and achieve the so-called impossible.
Who wrote "The Rationality of Defiance"?
"The Rationality of Defiance" was written by Gabrielius Landsbergis.
Gabrielius Landsbergis is a student of history and an accomplished politician, born under occupation and raised in liberty. As Lithuania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs (2020–4), he positioned himself and his country as leading supporters of freedom for the people of Ukraine, Taiwan and all friends of democracy worldwide.
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