The furtive accession to NATO is, of course, an important issue in itself. But the potential utility of the proposed inquiry extends beyond that; for it can be regarded as a case study that will most likely shed light on a number of more broadly relevant conditions and processes, for example: the methodology of the tyranny of small steps, the manipulation and steering of public opinion, collaboration between power-wielding Swedes and foreign interests, the rightward shift of Social Democratic parties in Sweden and Europe, the Swedish public's interest in and knowledge of foreign-policy issues, control of the political agenda, the role of the mass media in all of this, etc.

The question is how to proceed. Although many have expressed support for the proposed inquiry, there do not appear to be any established procedures to follow.
That conclusion may be drawn from the fact that repeated appeals for guidance and suggestions have yielded very little response. It is evidently easier to like the idea of a citizens' inquiry than to explain how to conduct one.

The lack of a standard recipe is probably the main reason that progress has thus far been rather slow (details in Swedish at ”Projektets utveckling”). But now that an initial frame of reference and a highly qualified advisory board have been established, it is finally time to get to work.

In that regard, the lack of an established procedure constitutes both a problem and an opportunity. The problem is mainly that uncertainty is among the most difficult conditions for humans to deal with; indecisiveness and inactivity often result. The opportunity consists in that one can start just about anywhere and do something useful; the only requirement is that one actively participate.

In short, the situation calls for a relatively high degree of determination and initiative.


Suggestions and guidelines

However, there is not a total lack of leads and suggestions regarding how and what to begin investigating. The document, From Neutrality to NATO, is a first attempt to trace the tyranny of small steps in this connection, and one of its intended functions is to provide an initial frame of reference for conceptualizing the process of furtive accession.

A related purpose is to provide suggestions for suitable subjects of study. The initial account is doubtless far from complete; but it refers to a long series of decisions, events and processes that have taken place over a period of more than six decades. Just about every one of those components is worthy of further study and illumination. It is simply a matter of choosing an issue that seems interesting, and starting to work on it.

For those who lack research experience or for some other reason are uncertain about how to proceed, help will be available. As noted in the project guidelines:
     

“As with all initiatives, the most important precondition for success is a firm belief that it is possible to succeed -- something that can at times be difficult to conjure up, especially at the outset of a large and complex task. It can therefore be useful to meet often in order to pose questions, discuss methodological and other problems, share experiences, etc. It is intended that a special section of the inquiry's website will be established for that purpose and, if there is sufficient interest, it may also be possible to arrange physical meetings of project participants.”

“This account must somehow be made available to the largest possible audience. It is a historically important document which shows how a foreign policy that for 190 years has been based on neutrality has been converted to the exact opposite. It is also the story of how Sweden has gone from being a small but influential nation on the world scene, to a small and insignificant land.”

“Very well done! I just received an e-mail from an acquaintance who wanted to tell me about the account: 'Check out this document on Sweden in the world. Among the most informative I have ever read. So much knowledge, so little rhetoric.'”

“The reading of From Neutrality to NATO came as a shock to me. By my profession and interests, I should have known most of what it documents; but in many cases I did not. This also underlines the point about the tyranny of small steps.”

Indicating one's interest -- large or small, specific or vague -- via e-mail to: samordna@stoppanato.se

Informing others and encouraging them to participate. This applies especially to teachers and students at universities and secondary schools who might be interested in studying and researching various aspects of the furtive accession process.

Spread knowledge of the project via relevant organizations, websites, e-mail lists, articles in and letters to newspapers, magazines, newsletters, professional journals, etc.

Offer suggestions regarding the contents of the interest analysis proposed in the Guidelines.