The term Multialeralism

Multilateralism

Done by :Otegen Akbota

Nurzhanova Madina

Plan

1

Introduction

2

The history of the tem “Multilateral”

3

Modern multilateralism

4

Conclusion

References

5

Introduction

• Multilateralism is a concept which has been given increasing attention in the last decades. It is a concept that is going through a profound set of changes as a result of the emergence of new multilateral actors, the development of new multilateral playing fields and the birth of a new kind of multilateralism. This has had consequences for world politics: the world has moved from uni-polarity towards a networked form of multi polarity. Another notable effect is that the multilateral system is moving from a closed to an open system, of which the main characteristics are the diversification of multilateral organizations, the growing importance of non state actors such as sub-state regions and supra national regional organisations , the increased inter-linkages between policy domains and the growing space for civil society involvement.

The history of the term “Multilateral”

• The first documented use of the term “multilateral” to describe an international agreement dates back to 1690when multilateral arrangements were proposed to manage property issues, such as the governance of oceans.
• As early as the 17th century, they sprung up through history mainly to manage relations between States in areas where interdependence was in evitable Multilateral cooperation, however, was relatively rare until the 19 the century, which witnessed a surge of new treaties on trade, public health and maritime transport. The International Telegraph Union, the Universal Postal Union and the International Office of Public Hygiene all had their origins in the 1800s. 19th century multilateralism was spurred by the political, social and economic changes generated by the Industrial Revolution: rising volumes of international transactions not only increased the opportunities for disputes between States, but they also prompted States to protect their sovereignty, even as they agreed to common rules to facilitate economic exchange. Most multilateral agreements in the 19th century did not generate formal organisations .

Modern multilateralism

• Modern multilateralism differs from its earlier version: the same rules might applyto all States, but States are not the only actors that partake in multilateralism (Keck & Sikkink, 1998). Non-state actors multinational corporations, non-governmental and international organisations may push States to make multilateral commitments oreven agree to such commitments between themselves. One example is the agreement by airlines within their trade association, the Air Transport Association, to cut net emissions by 50% from 2005 levels.

• Finding Some Evidence of Multilateralism
• In order to find some evidence of the existence of multilateralism in real politics, the present study has focused on three trends that are currently shaping international relations. The first one has been identified with the birth of new kinds of diplomacy, a fact supporting the existence of multilateralism 2.0 both for the actors involved and the principles regulating these new typologies; the second one concerns the evolution of sub and supra national entities. Finally, the third trend is the openness of international organisations to non-state actors, with a special focus on the observer status of the EU at the UN Security Council.

• Nowadays, multilateralism has been increasingly accepted as the modus operandi in world politics: over the last few decades, nations have come to understand that the challenges of security, peacekeeping, disease control, human rights violations and climate issues, among others, are too vast and complex for any nation or group of nations, no matter how powerful, to effectively manage on its own. “Multilateralism is no longer a choice. It is a matter of necessity and of fact”17

The strategic use of multilateral organisations

• A more hybrid and mixed global order will have several short-to-midterm consequences for state policies. First, the lack of coherence at national or intergovernmental level adds to overall uncertainty and increases the costs of cooperation. Second, the reservoirs of legitimacy built up in the existing multilateral structures with great effort over the decades, offer opportunities to compete over and exercise raw power and soft power. Under the condition of increasing multi-polarity, states are therefore likely to use existing multilateral institutions more strategically to gain relative in the short term advantages as well as depend more on the flexibility of bilateral or trilateral agreements

Conclusion

• As we have seen, multilateralism has been defined and understood in different ways. there is unavoidable ambiguity in defining this term’. Scholarship on multilateralism still suffers from a lack of an agreed conceptual framework, a common language and a set of references with which to examine its development.

• In fact, multilateralism may be most clearly understood when we consider what it is not: it is not unilateralism, bilateralism or inter-regionalism; it contrasts with imperialism or cooperation based on coercion, as in the case of the Warsaw Pact. Multilateral cooperation is voluntary.

References

• (PDF) Multipolarity, Multilateralism, and Strategic Competition . Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266260303_Multipolarity_Multilateralism_and_Strategic_Competition [accessed Sep 21 2018].