4 ms·

>Costa Rica did not have to maintain a standing army to protect its borders thanks in large part to relying on treaties and understandings with the US. As a no

by hkjgkjy 10y ago

>Costa Rica did not have to maintain a standing army to protect its borders thanks in large part to relying on treaties and understandings with the US. As a non-american, I never understood what's up with this. Is it voluntary? Are they an independent nation?

benologist 10y ago
It's a completely independent country that simply chooses not to have an army. 60 years ago they decided that money would be better off being invested in their population, and now they are a posterchild for stable democracy, the wealthiest centroamerican country, and consistently ranked one of the happiest countries in the world.
- hkjgkjy 10y ago
  That sounds very nice :). How come noone with even a tiny fleet sails over there and takes it over? Any billionaire could become a king that way.
  - benologist 10y ago
    They'd still have to hold the country, but actually that happened to a city in the next country north, when a William Walker decided to be president of Nicaragua: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Walker_(filibuster) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Walker_(filibuster)
- eggy 10y ago
  I think you are discounting their dependence on the US and other countries to protect them; they didn't decide without these assurances in place. The US forgave a lot of their debt in 2007 in exchange for protecting their rainforests. The US is their largest trading partner. Mess with Costa Rica, and the US Armed Forces 'will most likely' stand against you. The US Coast Guard can operate off their shores because of the Drug War and an agreement with Costa Rica. It's never simple.
  - benologist 10y ago
    The decision to disband their army came in 1948 after a civil war - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Costa_Rica https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Costa_Rica https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Rican_Civil_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Rican_Civil_War

by hkjgkjy 10y ago

benologist 10y ago

It's a completely independent country that simply chooses not to have an army. 60 years ago they decided that money would be better off being invested in their population, and now they are a posterchild for stable democracy, the wealthiest centroamerican country, and consistently ranked one of the happiest countries in the world.

hkjgkjy 10y ago
That sounds very nice :). How come noone with even a tiny fleet sails over there and takes it over? Any billionaire could become a king that way.
- benologist 10y ago
  They'd still have to hold the country, but actually that happened to a city in the next country north, when a William Walker decided to be president of Nicaragua: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Walker_(filibuster) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Walker_(filibuster)
eggy 10y ago
I think you are discounting their dependence on the US and other countries to protect them; they didn't decide without these assurances in place. The US forgave a lot of their debt in 2007 in exchange for protecting their rainforests. The US is their largest trading partner. Mess with Costa Rica, and the US Armed Forces 'will most likely' stand against you. The US Coast Guard can operate off their shores because of the Drug War and an agreement with Costa Rica. It's never simple.
- benologist 10y ago
  The decision to disband their army came in 1948 after a civil war - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Costa_Rica https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Costa_Rica https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Rican_Civil_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Rican_Civil_War