Jonah Patel
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations, groups, or individuals to influence decisions and behaviours and advance national interests while maintaining peaceful relationships. It involves the use of dialogue, negotiation, and other non-violent means to resolve or prevent disputes and manage international relations. Diplomacy is often facilitated through dedicated foreign affairs offices, diplomatic missions, and international organisations such as the United Nations. The term diplomacy has evolved from the ancient Greek diplōma, referring to a folded document conferring privileges, to its modern association with international relations and the conduct of foreign affairs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | The art, science and means by which nations, groups or individuals conduct their affairs. |
| Purpose | To safeguard interests, promote political, economic, cultural or scientific relations, and maintain peaceful relationships. |
| History | The term diplomacy is derived from the ancient Greek diplōma, which means "an object folded in two". |
| Actors | Leaders, representatives of states, intergovernmental or non-governmental institutions, envoys, ambassadors, military and intelligence officers. |
| Tools | Sanctions, foreign assistance, trade, armed force, negotiations, consultations, back-channel talks, summits and conferences. |
| Nature | Bilateral, multilateral, continuous, flexible, coercive, overtly non-violent. |
| Venues | United Nations, United States, third-party governments. |
| Training | Most countries provide professional training for diplomats. |
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What You'll Learn
The art of negotiation
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations, safeguarding their interests and promoting their political, economic, cultural, or scientific relations, while maintaining peaceful relationships. The term diplomacy is derived from the ancient Greek diplōma, which means "an object folded in two", reflecting the practice of sovereigns providing a folded document to confer some official privilege.
Negotiations can be led by the parties involved or through outside mediators such as the United Nations or another third-party government. While mediation can bring impartiality and help reach deals, it also carries risks. Parties may lose respect for a mediator who fails to facilitate a deal, and they may resume conflict if compromise seems impossible. Moreover, time spent mediating one issue takes away from addressing other pressing matters.
The goal of negotiation in diplomacy is not always to solve a crisis but often to prevent an imperfect situation from deteriorating. Negotiations require a mutual understanding of the goal and the means to achieve it. They are an essential substitute for the use of force or underhanded means in statecraft, allowing countries to peacefully adjust their differences.
In conclusion, the art of negotiation in diplomacy is a complex and challenging process that requires skill, tact, and compromise. Through negotiations, nations can influence each other's behaviour and advance their interests while maintaining peaceful relations.
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Foreign policy
Diplomacy is often confused with foreign policy, but they are not the same. Diplomacy is the main tool of foreign policy, which is set by political leaders, who may be advised by diplomats, military officers, and intelligence officers. Foreign policy establishes goals, prescribes strategies, and sets the broad tactics to be used in their accomplishment. It may employ secret agents, subversion, war, or other forms of violence as well as diplomacy to achieve its objectives.
The purpose of foreign policy is to further a state's interests, which are derived from geography, history, economics, and the distribution of international power. It is a country's primary obligation to safeguard national independence, security, and integrity—territorial, political, economic, and moral. Political leaders, usually of sovereign states, who devise foreign policy, pursue what they perceive to be the national interest, adjusting national policies to changes in external conditions and technology.
In the United States, Article Two of the Constitution grants the power of foreign policy to the President, including the powers to command the military, negotiate treaties, and appoint ambassadors. The Department of State carries out the President's foreign policy. The State Department is usually pulled between the wishes of Congress and the wishes of the President. The Department of Defense carries out the President's military policy. The Central Intelligence Agency is an independent agency responsible for gathering intelligence on foreign activity. Some checks and balances are applied to the President's powers of foreign policy. Treaties negotiated by the President require ratification by the Senate to take force as United States law. The President's ambassadorial nominations also require Senate approval before taking office. Military actions must first be approved by both chambers of Congress.
There are four schools of thought regarding foreign policy: Neo-Isolationists, Selective Engagement, Cooperative Security, and Primacy. Neo-Isolationists believe the United States should maintain a very narrow focus and avoid all involvement in the rest of the world. Selective Engagement avoids all conflicts with other nations and is semi-restrictive of its foreign policy. Cooperative Security requires more involvement throughout the world, occasionally countering threats to the country. Primacy seeks to advance the United States beyond all other nations of the world, placing it first in all matters.
The ideal outcome of diplomacy is the assurance of a peaceful international environment that leaves Americans free to enjoy the prosperity, justice, and civil liberties that enable the pursuit of happiness. This agenda motivated the multilateral systems of governance the United States created and relied upon after World War II—the Pax Americana.
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International relations
Diplomacy is a term often used in the context of international relations. It is a complex social process that involves the peaceful conduct of international relations, primarily through negotiation and dialogue, to implement foreign policy interests and resolve conflicts. Diplomacy is the main instrument of foreign policy, representing the broader goals and strategies that guide a state's interactions with the rest of the world. It is the principal substitute for the use of force or underhanded means in statecraft. It is how comprehensive national power is applied to the peaceful adjustment of differences between states.
Diplomacy is the process and practice of communication and negotiation between actors in the international system, with the aim of achieving their goals and resolving their conflicts and disputes. It involves the use of various methods and tools, such as dialogue, persuasion, compromise, and coercion, to influence and shape the behaviour and outcomes of other actors. It may be coercive, but it is overtly nonviolent. Its primary tools are international dialogue and negotiation, conducted by accredited envoys and other political leaders.
Diplomacy can be classified into two broad categories: traditional and modern. Traditional diplomacy is based on formal and official relations between states, conducted by professional and accredited representatives of the states, such as diplomats and ambassadors. Modern diplomacy, on the other hand, is based on informal and unofficial relations between various actors, such as non-state actors, civil society, and the public.
Diplomacy also enables and facilitates communication and cooperation between actors in the international system, helping to prevent and resolve conflicts and disputes. It shapes and influences the world order and global governance. It is a 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.
Diplomacy in international relations is critical for navigating political crises and maintaining peaceful relations between countries. It helps build relationships between countries, fostering trade, cultural understanding, and knowledge exchange. It also provides a framework for countries to discuss global issues, such as climate change, which may affect various countries differently.
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Science diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art, science, and practice of conducting negotiations between nations, influencing the decisions and behaviour of foreign governments and peoples through dialogue, negotiation, and other measures short of war or violence.
The concept of science diplomacy has been gaining traction in foreign and security policy, with various EU member states developing science diplomacy strategies and creating science-related positions in their Ministries of Foreign Affairs. Examples of institutions with a science diplomacy motivation include CERN, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis.
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Soft power
Diplomacy is the art, science, and practice of conducting negotiations between nations, influencing the decisions and behaviour of foreign governments and peoples through dialogue, negotiation, and other peaceful means. Soft power is a key concept in diplomacy, referring to the ability of a country to influence others through attraction, persuasion, and cultural exchange, rather than through coercion or payment. It is a vital tool for advancing national interests and boosting international standing. Soft power can be achieved through various means, including public diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, and vaccine diplomacy.
Public diplomacy has a long history as a means of promoting a country's soft power. For example, during the Cold War, the Soviet Union attempted to convince the world of the attractiveness of its communist system through a large-scale public diplomacy program that promoted its high culture, broadcasting, and dissemination of information about the West. Similarly, the US deployed jazz musicians as music ambassadors to counter Soviet influence. In recent times, South Korean President Moon Jae-in appointed members of the K-pop group BTS as special envoys for public diplomacy, leveraging their global popularity to attract millions of viewers to their speech at the UN General Assembly.
Cultural diplomacy is another important aspect of soft power. Countries like the United States and Europe have long exerted soft power through their culture, including art, literature, music, design, fashion, and even food. China has also been strengthening its soft power abroad through the establishment of Confucius Institutes, which promote Chinese language and culture. Additionally, China's provision of medical aid during the COVID-19 pandemic has been dubbed "facemask diplomacy," showcasing how countries can leverage their resources during crises to build soft power.
Vaccine diplomacy is a recent example of soft power in action. During the COVID-19 pandemic, India, home to the largest COVID-19 vaccine factory on Earth, donated and provided millions of vaccines to neighboring countries. This strategic approach helped India bolster its regional influence and counter China's growing involvement in South Asia.
In conclusion, soft power is an essential tool in the diplomatic arsenal of nations, allowing them to influence global affairs and promote their interests through peaceful means. By understanding the dynamics of soft power, countries can enhance their international standing and shape the decisions and behaviors of other nations without resorting to coercion or force.
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Frequently asked questions
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations, influencing the decisions and behaviour of foreign governments and peoples through dialogue, negotiation, and other measures short of war or violence.
The term diplomacy is derived from the 18th-century French term "diplomate" ("diplomat" or "diplomatist"), which is based on the ancient Greek "diploēma", meaning "an object folded in two". This reflected the practice of sovereigns providing a folded document to confer some official privilege or permit to travel.
The goal of diplomacy is to influence other countries' behaviours to advance one's own national interests. Diplomacy is the main instrument of foreign policy, which establishes goals, prescribes strategies, and sets the broad tactics to be used in their accomplishment.
Diplomacy is conducted by accredited officials, such as envoys and ambassadors, through a dedicated foreign affairs office. Diplomats operate through diplomatic missions, most commonly consulates and embassies, and rely on a number of support staff.
