Eleanor Finch
Diplomacy is a term often used in the context of international relations, referring to the art and practice of conducting negotiations and handling affairs between nations, groups, or individuals. It involves communication, dialogue, persuasion, compromise, and coercion to resolve conflicts and achieve goals while maintaining peaceful relationships. The term diplomacy has a rich history, evolving with the development of civilizations and international systems. Early societies exhibited diplomatic attributes through intertribal negotiations, and ancient civilizations like the Egyptians, Mesopotamians, and Mayans exchanged envoys and formed treaties. Over time, diplomacy diversified with the rise and fall of states, the spread of religions and ideologies, and the exploration of new regions. Today, diplomacy remains crucial in international relations, with modern forms like social media and NGOs complementing traditional embassies and ambassadors, ensuring peaceful resolutions and fostering global cooperation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| A substitute for the use of force or underhanded means in statecraft | Peaceful adjustment of differences between states |
| Established method of influencing the decisions and behavior of foreign governments and peoples | Dialogue, negotiation, and other measures short of war or violence |
| The main vehicle by which small states are able to ensure that their goals are addressed in the global arena | International cooperation |
| The art, the science, and the means by which nations, groups, or individuals conduct their affairs | Safeguarding interests and promoting political, economic, cultural, or scientific relations, while maintaining peaceful relationships |
| The process and practice of communication and negotiation between actors in the international system | Achieving goals and resolving conflicts and disputes |
| Bilateral | Mutual and reciprocal relationships |
| Multilateral | Collective and cooperative relationships |
| Continuous | Long-term and ongoing process |
| The art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations | Skill in handling affairs without arousing hostility |
| The established history of diplomacy has been criticized by scholars for its origins in the political context of the French Revolution | The term "diplomacy" originates from the 18th-century French term "diplomate" |
| The earliest known diplomatic records are the Amarna letters written between the pharaohs of the eighteenth dynasty of Egypt and the Amurru rulers of Canaan during the 14th century BC | Ancient Egyptian diplomacy |
| Envoys were sacred and inviolable, usually carrying some emblem and were received with elaborate ceremonies | Women were often used as envoys due to their perceived mysterious sanctity and their use of "sexual wiles" |
| The first international law arose from intertribal relations | Tribes negotiated marriages and regulations on trade and hunting |
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What You'll Learn
International diplomacy
Diplomacy is the main vehicle by which small states are able to ensure that their goals are addressed in the global arena. It is the principal substitute for the use of force or underhanded means in statecraft. International diplomacy is the art, science, and means by which nations, groups, or individuals conduct their affairs, safeguarding their interests and promoting their political, economic, cultural, or scientific relations while maintaining peaceful relationships. The word "diplomacy" comes from the 18th-century French term "diplomate" ("diplomat" or "diplomatist"), which is based on the ancient Greek "diplo" ("folded in two") and the suffix "-ma" ("an object"). This reflected the practice of sovereigns providing a folded document to confer some official privilege, such as permission to travel, before the invention of the envelope.
Modern diplomatic practices are a product of the post-Renaissance European state system. By the 20th century, diplomatic practices pioneered in Europe had been adopted throughout the world, and diplomacy had expanded to cover summit meetings, international conferences, parliamentary diplomacy, the international activities of supranational and subnational entities, unofficial diplomacy by non-governmental elements, and the work of international civil servants. The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) provides a framework for diplomatic procedures, methods, and conduct, facilitating the development of friendly relations among nations, irrespective of their differing constitutional and social systems. It has become fundamental to the conduct of foreign relations, ensuring that diplomats can work without threats of influence by the host government.
There are a variety of diplomatic categories and strategies employed by organizations and governments to achieve their aims, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Appeasement, for example, is a policy of making concessions to an aggressor to avoid confrontation, but it is not considered a legitimate tool of modern diplomacy due to its failure to prevent World War II. Quiet diplomacy, also known as the "softly softly" approach, involves influencing the behaviour of another state through secret negotiations or refraining from taking a specific action. Migration diplomacy involves the use of refugees, labour migrants, or diasporas in states' pursuit of international diplomacy goals, such as in the context of the Syrian Civil War. Nuclear diplomacy focuses on preventing nuclear proliferation and nuclear war, with one of the most well-known (and controversial) philosophies being mutually assured destruction (MAD).
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History of the term
The term diplomacy is derived from the 18th-century French term "diplomate" ("diplomat" or "diplomatist"), which is based on the ancient Greek "δίπλωμα" (diploōma), meaning "an object folded in two". This reflected the practice of sovereigns providing a folded document to confer some official privilege; prior to the invention of the envelope, folding a document served to protect the privacy of its contents. The term was later applied to all official documents, such as those containing agreements between governments, and thus became identified with international relations.
The history of diplomacy can be traced back to ancient times, when the first civilizations and empires emerged and interacted with each other, and when the first forms of diplomacy, such as envoys, treaties, and alliances, were practiced. For example, the greatest knowledge of early diplomacy comes from the Middle East, the Mediterranean, China, and India. Records of treaties between Mesopotamian city-states date back to about 2850 BCE. Thereafter, Akkadian (Babylonian) became the first diplomatic language, serving as the international tongue of the Middle East until it was replaced by Aramaic. There are also traces of Egyptian diplomacy dating to the 14th century BCE, including the Amarna letters written between the pharaohs of the eighteenth dynasty of Egypt and the Amurru rulers of Canaan. Some of the earliest known diplomatic records are from this period.
In the medieval period, the view that the first diplomats were "angels" or "messengers from heaven to earth" was common in Europe. While this interpretation may be fanciful, some elements of diplomacy predate recorded history. Early societies had some attributes of states, and the first international law arose from intertribal relations. Tribes negotiated marriages and regulations on trade and hunting. Messengers and envoys were accredited, sacred, and inviolable; they usually carried some emblem, such as a message stick, and were received with elaborate ceremonies. Women were often used as envoys because of their perceived mysterious sanctity and their use of "sexual wiles". It is believed that women regularly negotiated peace in primitive cultures.
Diplomacy continued to develop and diversify in the modern era, with the rise and fall of states and empires, the emergence and spread of various religions and ideologies, and the discovery and colonization of new regions and continents. These factors shaped and reshaped the international system and the actors within it. Permanent foreign ministries began to be established in almost all European states to coordinate embassies and their staff. These ministries were still far from their modern form, and many had extraneous internal responsibilities.
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Envoys and embassies
Diplomacy is the art, science, and means by which nations, groups, or individuals conduct their affairs, safeguarding their interests and promoting their political, economic, cultural, or scientific relations while maintaining peaceful relationships. Envoys, or accredited envoys, are an important part of diplomacy, and the term is derived from the French "envoyé", meaning "one who is sent". Envoys are diplomats of a particular rank, and they act as representatives of their government.
Historically, envoys were of a lower rank than ambassadors, who were often nobles with little foreign experience. Envoys were typically supported by their embassy staff, who would be sent on longer assignments and would be more knowledgeable about the host country. The rank of envoy was considered obsolete by the 1960s, when most countries upgraded their diplomatic relations to the ambassadorial rank. However, the term "envoy" is still used in popular parlance to refer to a diplomat of any rank.
The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) codifies the rules for the exchange and treatment of envoys between states. It ensures that envoys can work without threats of influence by the host government and facilitates the development of friendly relations between nations. The Convention also outlines the rights and privileges of diplomatic missions, such as the use of the flag and emblem of the sending state, the inviolability of the mission premises, and the protection of diplomatic staff and their families, even in cases of armed conflict.
Embassies are diplomatic missions located in the capital city of another country, offering a full range of services, including consular services. The term "embassy" is sometimes used interchangeably with "chancery", which refers to the physical office or site of a diplomatic mission. The head of an embassy is typically an ambassador or high commissioner, and they may have several consulates-general in major cities of the host country. In some cases, a country may recall its head of mission as a sign of displeasure, and the mission will then be headed by a chargé d'affaires with limited powers.
The role of envoys and embassies is crucial in the practice of diplomacy, facilitating peaceful relations and the exchange of information between nations.
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Treaties and alliances
One notable example of treaties and alliances in history is the Franco-American Treaty of Alliance, signed in 1778 during the American Revolutionary War. The Treaty of Alliance, along with the Treaty of Amity and Commerce, formed a defensive alliance between the Kingdom of France and the United States against Great Britain. The Treaty of Amity and Commerce recognised the United States as an independent nation and encouraged trade between France and America. In contrast, the Treaty of Alliance provided for a military alliance, combining the military forces and efforts of both nations to maintain the "liberty, Sovereignty, and independence absolute and unlimited" of the United States. This treaty marked the official entry of the United States onto the world stage and was considered a significant diplomatic success for the colonists.
Another example of historical treaties and alliances is the Geneva Conventions, a series of four treaties signed in 1864, 1906, 1929, and 1949, that established international legal standards for humanitarian protection for wounded soldiers, civilians, and prisoners of war during armed conflict. The Geneva Conventions have been ratified by almost all countries worldwide and are considered a cornerstone of international humanitarian law.
In modern times, the process of forming treaties and alliances has become more complex, with the rise of international organisations and the increasing importance of economic and cultural relations. Treaties and alliances are now often formed to address a wide range of issues, including environmental protection, trade agreements, and cultural exchange programs. Additionally, the information gathered by spies and reconnaissance satellites plays an increasingly critical role in monitoring compliance with arms-control treaties.
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Espionage and information
Diplomacy is the principal substitute for the use of force or underhanded means in statecraft. It is the art, science, and means by which nations, groups, or individuals conduct their affairs to safeguard their interests and promote their political, economic, cultural, or scientific relations while maintaining peaceful relationships. The term diplomacy is derived from the 18th-century French term "diplomate" ("diplomat" or "diplomatist"), based on the ancient Greek "diploōma", which means "an object folded in two". This reflected the practice of sovereigns providing a folded document to confer some official privilege; the term was later applied to official documents containing agreements between governments.
Intelligence gathering and espionage present moral and practical dilemmas for political leaders in democratic societies, as they must balance civil liberties with national security. Intelligence can be used as an instrument of influence in international relations, with nations utilizing covert information and intelligence capacities to promote their foreign policy goals.
While the line between diplomat and spy is sometimes blurred, former practitioners of both professions insist that a distinction exists and that all concerned know when it has been crossed. Diplomats who engage in spying are considered to be abusing their diplomatic status and privileges. Approaching foreign nationals and asking them to work for a foreign government is generally considered espionage, and in such cases, diplomats are expected to hand off the individual to the relevant intelligence officers.
Reciprocal transparency between nations may be a better solution than haphazard spying, as it can help maintain a balance of information and prevent asymmetry. However, in reality, governments often engage in spying on each other to gather as much information as possible before making decisions and engaging in bargaining.
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Frequently asked questions
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations, groups, or individuals to resolve conflicts and promote their interests, while maintaining peaceful relationships. It is often conducted through dialogue, negotiation, and other measures short of violence.
The term diplomacy is derived from the 18th-century French term "diplomate" ("diplomat" or "diplomatist"), which comes from the ancient Greek "δίπλωμα" (diploma), meaning "a paper folded double". This reflected the practice of sovereigns providing official documents folded to protect the privacy of their contents.
Diplomacy has a long history, with some elements predating recorded history. Early societies negotiated through intertribal relations, and the first international law arose from these interactions. The greatest knowledge of early diplomacy comes from the Middle East, the Mediterranean, China, and India. Records of treaties between Mesopotamian city-states date back to around 2850 BCE, and the first diplomatic language was Akkadian (Babylonian). Other examples include Assyrian diplomacy in the 7th century BCE, Egyptian diplomacy in the 14th century BCE, and Chinese diplomacy in the 1st millennium BCE.
Diplomacy has evolved and diversified alongside the development of the international system. In medieval and modern times, the rise and fall of states and empires, the spread of religions and ideologies, and the discovery and colonization of new regions have shaped the international landscape and the practice of diplomacy. Today, diplomacy is facilitated by traditional means, such as embassies and ambassadors, as well as modern methods, including social media and NGOs.
