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Diplomacy

History shows that after Americans arrived on the North American continent they once for all turned back on Europe. And thereafter for centuries US could remain aloof to the world affairs for a longer time. During all this time America confronted with no power save remaining isolated while around the world particularly in Europe a new approach for international relations called the balance of power had taken roots. Under such a diplomatic order while America was busy to develop nearly empty continent spread between two great oceans Europeans were busy in avoiding the eruption of war as the mutual state rivalry in the wake of colonialism was rising. Hence for about one hundred and fifty years America kept itself busy with its own affairs without bothering about the peace and security issues that were the top debated problems in the rest of the world.

However, when the scenario outside its hemisphere reached out to touch American interests then she dares to respond promptly. That is how it participated in the first and second world wars. And that reflected in the technical language failure of the balance of power concept and practice in Europe, which paved way to the eruption of war. American writers saying that both peace and balance of power have been directly related and when the balance was failed America was forced to join the warfare have translated this historical fact.

In fact the practice of balance of power had never been a choice with the Europeans they were forced into it after the dream of each individual power to establish a universal empire failed. And such a failure infects gave birth to various new nations on the world map too. Basically the very concept had come out of the need to maintain peace around the world but to rescue the world and help contain the crisis. Because it dealt with the powerful bigger countries on equal footing with those having lesser status therefore it was deemed to be curtailing the possibility of eruption of war. This way a mechanism was developed so that to keep the powerful nations dissatisfied for the satisfaction of the weaker nations as it served a guarantee that the powerful would not resort to use of force in case of difference emerges amongst the equal nations of Europe.

In Europe we have the instances of balance of power with the ancient Greece city-states, Italy during the renaissance and the post Westphalia agreement of 1618. Practically after the French revolution and Napoleon wars the idea of balance of power could be felt with the European leaders and in Vienna Congress 1815 they came to seek moderate International conduct through moral and legal bonds. Like the concept of equality of nations, the concept of balance of power was also an imaginary one. It had never been practiced in the world until 17th century and as such in the first place Balance of Power was the most possible courtesy that Europeans were offering to each other. And that is how the US foreign policy remained adamant to the very concept and its practice.

Ironically US has never practiced balance of power and even during the cold war it played with the Soviets the bi-polar tactics, some thing different than the balance of power politics. That is how both the big powers were witnessing to condemn each others moves around the world winning over more and more followers to their respective camps. And on both sides of the see-saw each of the two big giants used to predict eagerly the soon vanishing of other without caring whom with the remaining power would play the future. This could be called a negative balance of power.

At the end of the cold war Europe after the signing of Coal and Steel agreement (1952) had entered into a new phase of historical development. This new era having emerged with the demise of the Soviet Union was that of integration of Europe. Thus Europe having reincarnated from Coal & Steel Community, undergoing the era of European Atomic Community (1957-The Treaty of Rome) experiencing European Economic Community phase and European Community (The Single European Act) experience could reach its goal of European Union_ a continental integrated super statehood (Maastricht Agreement 1991).

Thanks goodness contemporary Europe succeeded in providing the entire world with the worth of Consultation, Cooperation and Co-decision between the sovereign countries as the real basis of meaningful diplomacy. The establishment of a continental government with its own currency and parliament was an unbelievable dream come true.

For the classical thinkers such was unique as no more worries for the maintenance of balance of power were left over amongst the one and the same European neighborhood. Now many activists were happily crossing fingers to watch and see how the very concept would work during the coming years between the US and EU. No doubt the art of negotiation or diplomacy as it is called has by the turn of century has indulged itself with new strategically enlarged future. It has successfully passed all the hurdles and barriers after over coming rigidities of nation-state, nationalism, state sovereignty thus making the concept of balance of power to pave ways for the practice of surveillance for universal survival.

The developments after nine eleven tragedy and warfare in Afghanistan with reference to operations against Sadam regime in Iraq has positively illustrated the relevancy and necessity of international surveillance for world peace. And sooner the prevailing urges of this new era are to write new dictates for political tacticians and diplomatists where under freedom loving nations would be resorting to a new approach on practices of state sovereignty. Because of the information revolution and becoming of planet earth a village world all sovereign states ought to be resorting to the practices of quasi-sovereignty. Such a give and take of sovereignty by the members of the international comity of nations would mean strengthening of the UNO that could become the World Government in similitude of the European Union?

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Copyright © 2001 Mohammad Fida. All rights reserved.