 |
| Lance Grandahl/Unsplash |
Newspapers around the globe readily proclaim it and editorial pages further the argument. The claim is that because of XYZ leader of ABC country, international multilateralism is NOW dead. Henceforth, it will be individual countries cutting personal deals with each other. The end of the global world order is lamented as if it was something set in stone and rigorously followed. Truth is that alliances between nations and groups of nations have always been of convenience, overlooking D to achieve co-operation in E. International censure, which only meant a tap on the hand for reprimandable behaviour, was invoked selectively and sporadically by the powers that be. As is the course of history, the names of the powers may have changed but their shenanigans remain the same. Internationalism can never really be dead when it wasn't the default in the first place. It has certainly helped in many situations as much as it has stood muted to atrocities in others. There will be times when larger global agreement is sought and can be fulfilled only by multilateralism. Likewise, there will be occasions for pally nations to team up person to person because that is what the situation requires. In an overconnected world, there really cannot be a one size fits all strategy and defusing tools used will be changed around as crisises evolve. Apart from keeping newspaper opinion columns filled, reports of any kind of diplomacy's demise will inevitably be premature.
No comments:
Post a Comment