The concept of national security always includes the protection of citizens and territories under the sovereignty of the state. It is believed that the need for it arises in connection with the need of the nation to maintain itself, reproduce and develop with minimal damage to the values common in society in a certain period. There are several basic types and concepts of national security, which will be discussed below.
Definition of the term
What is included in the concept of national security? The answer to this question should be comprehensive, because it will inevitably include a conversation about the interests of citizens. In political science, there are several basic principles and approaches to the definition of national security. The most widespread is the principle according to which every nation strives not only for conservation, but also for development. It is to ensure conditions conducive to the preservation of basic values that there are various measures that society and the state take to protect themselves.
Another popular definition of national security is based on the leading role of the state in determining national interests. In this case, it is state power that sets the priority goals and strategy in the field of development of the nation, state and society. According to this view, it is the state that determines the means of protecting national interests and ways to ensure security. However, one should not neglect the influence of public organizations on the formation of the current agenda.
However, the concept of threats to national security cannot include exclusively passive ways to ensure it; therefore, the term “dynamic security” has become widespread in Russian political science, which describes the ability of society to adapt to changing challenges and threats, as well as to predict and neutralize them. The tradition followed by the Russian political science school pays great attention to the constant monitoring of new threats and challenges.
The concept of national security of the Russian Federation includes ideas about the state of protection of an individual, society and the whole state from both external and internal threats. At the same time, it is understood that such a condition helps to ensure the rights specified in the Constitution of the country, namely, a decent standard of living and its high quality.
It is worth noting that the concept of national security has a rather complicated structure that fully complies with the complexities of modern states and societies with their developed institutions and methods of protection. However, complexity is compensated by the flexibility of the conceptual apparatus.
What does national security consist of?
The state and society are mutually reinforcing, therefore the protection of these two entities is an integral part of most public institutions. The concept of national security, the provision of which is a key function of any state, also includes man-made, environmental, economic, energy and information security. Personal security of citizens is also included in the area of responsibility of the state.
All state institutions and organizations are involved in ensuring security: health, military and economic. Strictly speaking, political science theory implies the collective participation of the state and citizens in creating favorable conditions for the functioning of society, which is impossible without a sense of security by all residents of the country.
Thus, all constitutional rights are included in the concept of a national security system, because without health and a quality education it is almost impossible to ensure a decent level of protection. Therefore, it is believed that health care and education are one of the most important sectors that are under state control.
In addition to the priorities and goals defined jointly by the state and society, one of the basic concepts of national security is the responsibility that bodies and institutions bear to citizens. The army and special services are the most important entities providing protection for the country, people and its values.
Threats to National Security
In Russia, the concept of national security begins with an indication of the need to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, which are the foundations of the existence of the state. The territory and unity of the country are indeed the basis of the existence of the state, but in the 21st century, society faces many new challenges.
It should be borne in mind that the definition of national security in the new millennium should be revised, since the danger now comes not only from hostile states. Today, experts in protecting the state and society name terrorist attacks, organized crime, drug cartels, natural disasters and man-made disasters among the main threats. Climate change, economic inequality, social exclusion and corruption are also considered important sources of instability that threaten societies and nations.
Some experts believe that in the new century, priority should be given to protecting the individual and basic human rights, while sacrificing part of state sovereignty in favor of supranational institutions such as the UN and international courts.
However, a moment of fundamental importance is that the concept and essence of national security for different societies is defined differently. While food security and the fight against the epidemic will be a priority for one state, protection of the state border and the security of the state apparatus will come first in another state, even if it is ensured by infringing on the rights and freedoms of citizens.
Who provides protection?
Increasingly, states formalize their representations and concepts of national security into completed strategies that look like official documents. For example, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Sweden acted in 2017. Moreover, each state independently determines for itself the concept and content of national security.
In turn, Russia has a permanent constitutional advisory body, which examines all issues related to the common interests of the state - this is the Russian Security Council under the President of the Russian Federation. It is assumed that this body helps the president fulfill his duties in protecting national interests by all constitutional means available to him. It is understood that threats can be both external and internal.
Although the approaches of different states to the definition of the concept of ensuring national security may differ significantly, historically priority has been given to military force, which in the ideas of statesmen is both a source of danger and a way to protect oneself from danger. Therefore, it is not surprising that military ministries are always the first in the list of public services that ensure state security. In the 21st century, however, this approach needs to be seriously revised.
Army to protect national interests
The methods of ensuring military security should also be subject to revision. Despite the fact that air, land and water are traditionally considered as a battlefield, in recent decades new methods of warfare have been discovered.
National security systems and the concept of them today increasingly include the ability to counter cyber threats. Huge distribution among large wealthy states received entire cybernetic armies, whose employees are engaged in hacking competitors' state computer systems. Special units are also created to protect against such units.
The United States is considered the undisputed leader in the field of computer security and cyber war, but China also shows a noticeable increase in Internet activity. Russia is also often mentioned in connection with cyber threats, this was especially noticeable during the previous US presidential election, when some Russians were accused of interfering in the electoral process.
Recently, space has also become an important space for competition, which is associated with the activities of private corporations, which have deprived large states of their monopoly on space launches. This allows companies to have their own fairly large satellite constellations that are not controlled by governments, which is not for everyone. Also, the system of private launches poses a risk of space technology falling into the hands of not always peaceful and far from democratic governments.
Special mention deserves the so-called psychological warfare, in the conduct of which they use the whole range of available multimedia technologies to exert psychological pressure and demotivation, as well as to conduct propaganda in order to achieve their goals.
Army and national security
Historically, most states arranged their armed forces, focusing on aggression from other states. Any definition of the concept of a threat to national security includes a danger to state borders, and therefore border services are of great importance. The vast majority of states at the same time organize armies only to protect their own borders.
However, there are countries that more widely interpret national security, leaving the right to act by military methods even in cases where there is no immediate threat to borders and territorial integrity. So historically France, the USA and Great Britain act. For some time now, Germany has been trying to refrain from expeditionary operations, while Russia, by contrast, has significantly increased the activity of its armed forces abroad, conducting operations in Syria and Africa.
The so-called "power projection" is an important part of the US military strategy that ensures US security at long distances. Such a projection is carried out using the most powerful corps of expeditionary forces, the basis of which is the navy. Carrier groups, capable of operating over long distances both autonomously and with the support of an extensive network of naval bases, provide not only direct military security, but also are an important lever of political pressure on both adversaries and allies of America.
In addition, the navy ensures the safety of international trade, which is the pillar of modern American prosperity, which clearly indicates the inextricable link between the economy, politics and military power while ensuring national security, the systems of which were formed by the beginning of the 21st century.
Two approaches to public interest
In Russia, the concept often includes state security, which indicates an obvious bias towards territorial integrity and sovereignty, while the interests of the individual fade into the background.
Although the role of the army and special services is extremely important in ensuring security, do not underestimate the political and social stability created by the predictable political process based on democratic procedures and consensus between state institutions and society.
In case of distrust of citizens to state power, there is a great risk of political destabilization, the result of which may even be an armed intrastate conflict. Any state must ensure the conditions under which social conflicts will be resolved by peaceful means.
Major theoreticians such as Barry Buzan draw attention to the connection of internal stability and political security with the rule of law, but not only domestic. According to some experts, it is impossible to ensure internal order without respect from the authorities for international law developed as a result of numerous tragedies of the 20th century.
The concept of the so-called “human security” is gaining more and more popularity among international intellectuals. Such a view defies the widespread concept of national security as outdated and not meeting the challenges of the new era, when one should think not on a national scale, but give preference to the interests of the individual, respecting him and striving to ensure its comprehensive protection.
Environmental sustainability
An important component of the concept of national security of Russia is environmental security. It is understood as the totality of measures taken to reduce and eliminate the negative results of both natural and human environmental impacts.
It is worth noting that the damage caused by human activities to nature has become noticeable not only at the local level, but also on a global scale. Pollution is gaining more and more impressive proportions, directly threatening the life and health of millions of people.
An increasing number of people on the planet are losing access to drinking water and clean air. In many Asian cities with a multimillion population, the air has become so polluted that their residents use respirators to go outside.
Increasingly, topics such as global warming, loss of biodiversity, deforestation and climate change are on the agenda of international summits.
Local conflicts also basically have natural problems. For example, the unreasonable use of natural resources in Mexico entails an increase in the number of migrants who are sent to the United States. In turn, the widespread use of herbicides and pesticides in developed countries leads to environmental problems in less protected states.
Environmental security is inextricably linked with food security and the provision of the nation with natural resources, primarily exhaustible. The right of any person to access clean water, good food and fresh air cannot be questioned, but up to one and a half billion people on the planet are not able to drink clean water.
In Africa, water scarcity causes thousands of casualties, and water in many rivers in China has become unfit for drinking due to industrial pollution. In this regard, in modern conditions, any system of national security, the concept of which is given by political scientists, should include the aspect of ensuring basic humanitarian rights.
Security Economics and Finance
The concept of national economic security is given in the federal law "On Security" and calls the priority tasks to ensure the harmonious development of the state, society and the individual. Although the security of economic activity is an integral part of the national strategy, it can be defined as the state of protection of the economic activity of all entities operating in the country.
It is worth mentioning right away that a state of absolute security in the economic sphere cannot exist, since there are always threats that come from both inside the state and outside.
Important factors of economic security are the availability of resources, an adequate level of infrastructure development, demographic indicators, as well as agricultural potential and the level of government. The role of geographical location and climate is also important.
However, the structure of economic security in the modern world is very complex and directly related to the infrastructure and financial component. In order to provide security in these areas, it also requires technological solutions based on innovations in the entire production chain, including even management.
The growing threat of economic activity comes from international organized crime, which uses the latest computer technology to intervene in financial transactions and fraud.
National Security VS Transnational
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In such conditions, goods, services, capital and labor move rapidly and with minimal control, however, such a state of society gives rise to many threats. The openness of financial systems makes them vulnerable to hacker attacks and theft of money from the accounts of citizens and companies.
In the conditions of cheap transcontinental flights, visa-free travel and numerous major international events, the vulnerability of the system to epidemics becomes apparent, which no state alone can cope with. This state of affairs raises important questions about the boundaries of openness and transparency, as well as security priorities.
While in the interests of transnational security, rather, open borders and free markets, in the interests of national security of some states, on the contrary, there may be closing markets, restricting trade, establishing barriers and restricting migration. This conflict has become increasingly apparent in recent years and requires a solution not only from political scientists, but also from politicians, as well as from each citizen individually.
Thus, the concept of a system of ensuring national security should, in addition to the military structure, also include concern for the interests of citizens within the country.