On July 1, 1968, the United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and 59 other nations signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which entered into force in 1970. The treaty rests on three pillars: non-proliferation (non-nuclear states agree not to acquire weapons), disarmament (nuclear states commit to work toward eventual elimination), and the right to peaceful nuclear energy. The NPT became the cornerstone of the global nuclear order, with 191 states parties — more than any other arms control agreement. Its successes are significant: in the 1960s, experts predicted 25-30 nuclear states by 2000; only 9 exist today. But the treaty has also been criticized: nuclear states have not disarmed as promised, and notable holdouts — India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea — have acquired weapons outside the regime.
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was signed, establishing the framework to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons — a bargain between nuclear haves and have-nots that holds to this day.
Historical Context
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