Nuclear Monopoly

Definition

A nuclear monopoly exists when only one nation possesses nuclear weapons or has control over all nuclear weaponry.

Analogy

Imagine being the only person in your school who has access to the newest smartphone model while everyone else still uses older versions. You have exclusive features no one else can use - this gives you power but also responsibility because misuse could lead to chaos.

Related terms

Nuclear Proliferation: The spread of nuclear weapons production technology and knowledge to nations which do not already possess such capabilities.

Cold War: A period of geopolitical tension between powers in the Eastern Bloc (the Soviet Union and its satellite states) and powers in the Western Bloc (the United States, its NATO allies). The term "cold" is used because there was no large-scale fighting directly between the two sides.

Manhattan Project: A research and development project during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States with the support of the United Kingdom and Canada.