ABSTRACT
From the dawn of history, states or empires in possession of advanced weaponry have sought to prevent their spread to rising powers on their peripheries, fearing that this would diminish their capacity to stave off attacks from challengers. By the same token, up-and-coming states in the periphery have sought to gain access to advanced technologies in order to reduce their military inferiority vis-à-vis the dominant powers. Throughout history, then, there has been a struggle between those seeking to curb the diffusion of technology and those seeking to accelerate it – between non-proliferation and proliferation. This epic contest acquired particular intensity in the post-World War II era because of the potency of the weapons involved.1
