Nuclear taboo
Claimed norm against nuclear weapon use, debated by experts.
The nuclear taboo is the idea that an international norm exists which prohibits the use of nuclear weapons. While many experts agree that this norm is real, not everyone is convinced. The term was brought into wider use by scholar Nina Tannenwald, who described it in her 1999 article as a practical ban on being the first to use nuclear weapons.
According to this concept, there is a shared belief that using nuclear weapons is both illegitimate and immoral. This belief is offered as a reason why no nuclear weapons have been used in war since World War II. It contrasts with other explanations for nuclear nonuse, such as rational deterrence theories like mutually assured destruction, or social arguments that using such weapons would violate international law.
Tannenwald has noted that the nuclear taboo shares many features of a taboo in general: it is a prohibition, it involves danger, and it carries expectations of terrible consequences or punishment if broken. It also acts as a "bright line" norm—once crossed, the world enters unknown and unimaginable territory. Additionally, the taboo works against the temptation leaders might feel to use nuclear weapons as the "ultimate weapon," reminding them of the dangers involved.
A textbook on strategy defines the taboo as the view that using nuclear weapons is so shameful and immoral that states would avoid it, fearing they would become international outcasts, even among allies. Another academic, Joshua A. Schwartz, has defined it as the perception that nuclear use is so morally repulsive that policymakers and the public do not even consider it.
The existence of this taboo is debated. Tannenwald argues the norm developed during the early Cold War, pushed by anti-nuclear movements and non-nuclear states, and was reinforced by U.S. and Soviet restraint after the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. However, critics point out that there have been no truly hard cases where a nuclear-armed state chose defeat over using its arsenal, so the taboo remains unproven.
In 2024, Schwartz argued the taboo does not exist, citing evidence that policymakers have seriously considered using nuclear weapons on multiple occasions. He also pointed to opinion polls showing majority or near-majority public support in China, France, Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States for using nuclear weapons in certain situations. Another study by J
- field
- International relations, nuclear strategy
- known_for
- Popularizing the concept of the nuclear taboo
- key_proponent
- Nina Tannenwald
- first_prominent_publication
- 1999 journal article by Tannenwald
- alternative_explanations
- Rationalist deterrence theory, mutually assured destruction, international law
Lore & Background
The nuclear taboo refers to a shared understanding of the illegitimacy and immorality of using nuclear weapons. It purports to explain why no state has used nuclear weapons since World War II. The concept stands in contrast to rationalist deterrence theory, such as mutually assured destruction, and social theories about unwillingness to violate international law.
Nina Tannenwald popularized the term in her 1999 journal article, defining the taboo as 'a de facto prohibition against the first use of nuclear weapons.' She later expanded on the concept in her 2007 book. She wrote that the taboo exhibits many characteristics of taboos: it is a prohibition, refers to danger, and involves expectations of awful consequences. It also acts as a 'bright line' norm, counteracting the attraction of nuclear weapons
Reader's Guide
The nuclear taboo is a central concept in debates about nuclear nonuse since 1945. Its significance lies in offering a normative explanation for restraint, contrasting with rationalist deterrence theories. However, the concept remains contested. Critics note the lack of hard cases proving the taboo's causal force, and recent research by Schwartz and others suggests that policymakers and publics have seriously considered or supported nuclear use in specific scenarios. The taboo's legacy is thus as a influential but unproven hypothesis, shaping discussions of nuclear ethics and strategy without achieving consensus among experts.
Did You Know?
- The concept was popularized by Nina Tannenwald in a 1999 journal article.
- Tannenwald defined the nuclear taboo as 'a de facto prohibition against the first use of nuclear weapons.'
- In 2024, Joshua A. Schwartz argued the nuclear taboo does not exist, citing policymakers' serious consideration of nuclear use.
- A 2022 study by Dill, Sagan, and Valentino found that public opinion in several countries does not show the structure expected if a nuclear taboo existed.
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