Principal Pariahs of the Cold War Era

Abstract

In the years of the Cold War, especially during its last three decades, the Republic of China (ROC, or simply Taiwan), Israel, Chile and South Africa were widely regarded as the four principal pariah countries. They found themselves seriously at odds with major segments of the international community and were subjected to varying degrees of ostracism. All four were relatively small countries; they were staunchly pro-Western and anti-communist in external orientation but feeling aggrieved that their ‘natural allies’ in the West were either shunning them or not giving them due recognition as valued partners; and, with the (qualified) exception of Israel, they had authoritarian governments that systematically violated human rights.