Multilateralism Essay ⋆ Political Science Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

Multilateralism is “an institutional form which coordinates relations among three or more states on the basis of ‘generalized’ principles of conduct,” relying on the indivisibility of agreed behavior among the participating states (Ruggie 1992, 571) and is characterized by “diffuse reciprocity” (cf. Keohane 1986). Multilateral solutions are suitable when clear common interests are identifiable and market-driven processes fail to achieve acceptable results. The international multilateral system is based on the international legal order and consists of an institutionalized body of norms, regimes, and multilateral organizations. Beyond pure institutionalized multilateral cooperation, multilateralism as an ideology comprises a belief in the benefit of associative problem solving in a world of interdependence. In this spirit, authority is exercised through a multilevel polity of interlocking institutions, including partial transfers of competence to supranational bodies when functionally appropriate.

Roots of the multilateral structuring of international relations can be traced to the nineteenth-century conference diplomacy of the Concert of Europe. Based upon the European balance of power after the defeat of Napoleonic France, it was organized between the powers of the Quadruple Alliance and consisted of a short-lived practice of regular summitry to maintain the reactionary peace. The twentieth century, especially the period after the world wars, was characterized by the quick expansion of the multilateral system, including treaty-based regimes and a growing number of international organizations. At the same time, imperial disintegration and decolonization led to growth in the number of nation-states and, consequentially, in the membership of the United Nations (UN) and other international organizations. Even though nation-states are legally equal, diverse decision-making mechanisms exist to reflect an unequal distribution of power, ensuring the effectiveness of the multilateral system. The permanent veto-yielding members of the UN Security Council and the distribution of voting power according to financial shares in the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund serve as examples. Furthermore, the “minilateral” leadership of the most powerful actors characterizes many ad hoc arrangements and preparatory phases of vital negotiations under unanimity rule.

Most active states have traditionally been middle powers such as the Scandinavian and neutral countries that act as norm entrepreneurs and bear a high profile in the UN. To give just three examples, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland have often been identified among these relatively affluent countries that are convinced of the benefit of international law and orderly relations among nations. Through investing their diplomatic and financial resources in institutional reform initiatives, mediation, and peacekeeping, they strengthen the effectiveness and credibility of the multilateral order and simultaneously augment their status within the system. Regionally dominant actors and global powers occasionally capitalize on their relative power unilaterally or through coalitions of the willing. Unilateralism has been exemplified by the U.S. rejection of diverse multilateral arrangements, such as the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the Kyoto Protocol, and the International Criminal Court. Big powers are, nevertheless, essential actors in multilateral cooperation, because their support is vital for effective problem solving and rule enforcement, absent other institutionalized mechanisms. To give just one obvious example in the field of international security, any effective regime of nuclear arms control and disarmament has depended and will continue to depend on the initiative and compliance of the nuclear weapons states.

Bibliography:

Caporaso, James A. “International Relations Theory and Multilateralism: The Search for Foundations.” In Multilateralism Matters.The Theory and Praxis of an Institutional Form. Edited by John Gerard Ruggie, 51–90. New York, Columbia University Press, 1993.
Kahler, Miles. “Multilateralism with Small and Large Numbers.” International Organization 46, no. 3 (1992): 681–708.
Keohane, Robert O. “Reciprocity in International Relations.” International Organization 40, no. 1 (1986): 1–27.
Ruggie, John Gerard. “Multilateralism: The Anatomy of an Institution.” International Organization 46, no. 3 (1992): 561–598.

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