Editing Multilateralism (section)

== Definitions ==
Multilateralism, in the form of membership in international institutions,<!-- Is it appropriated to say that multilateralism is 'necessary' when it can be dangerous when exercised in a somewhat unfair or unequal way without the consent of the other side, in this case, the other states? --> serves to bind powerful nations, discourage [[unilateralism]], and gives small powers a voice and influence that they could not otherwise exercise. For a small power to influence a great power, the [[Lilliput and Blefuscu|Lilliputian]] strategy of small countries banding together to collectively bind a larger one can be effective. Similarly, multilateralism may allow one great power to influence another great power. For a great power to seek control through bilateral ties could be costly; it may require bargaining and compromise with the other great power.

Miles Kahler defines multilateralism as "international governance" or [[global governance]] of the "many," and its central principle was "opposition [to] [[Bilateralism|bilateral]] discriminatory arrangements that were believed to enhance the leverage of the powerful over the weak and to increase international conflict.";<ref>Kahler, Miles. "Multilateralism with Small and Large Numbers." International Organization, 46, 3 (Summer 1992),681.</ref>  [[Robert Keohane]] defined it as "the practice of coordinating national policies in groups of three or more states."<ref>Keohane, Robert O. "Multilateralism: An Agenda for Research." International Journal, 45 (Autumn 1990), 731.; see for a definition of the special features of "regional multilateralism" Michael, Arndt (2013). India's Foreign Policy and Regional Multilateralism (Palgrave Macmillan), pp. 12-16.</ref>

[[John Ruggie]] further elaborated the concept in his influential writings on multilateralism. Based on principles of "indivisibility" and "diffuse [[reciprocity (international relations)|reciprocity]] <!-- I think the term 'reciprocity' is somewhat unequal. It seems like upper-level state giving sth in terms of generosity to the lower state -->he defined it as "an institutional form which coordinates relations among three or more states based on 'generalized' principles of conduct ... which specify appropriate conduct for a class of actions, without regard to particularistic interests of the parties or the strategic exigencies that may exist in any occurrence."<ref name="John Ruggie 1992, pp 561-598">John Ruggie, "Multilateralism: the anatomy of an institution, "International Organization, 46:3, summer 1992, pp 561-598.</ref> He further clarified that multilateralism is 'a unique product of US global hegemony [. . . ] not necessarily a post-war American invention', but a reflection of post-war 'American [[hegemony]]'.<ref>{{Citation |last=Acharya |first=Amitava |editor-first1=Thomas G |editor-first2=Sam |editor-last1=Weiss |editor-last2=Daws |title=Multilateralism and the Changing World Order |date=2018-06-28 |url= |work=The Oxford Handbook on the United Nations |pages=780–796 |publisher=Oxford University Press |doi=10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198803164.013.43 |isbn=978-0-19-880316-4 |access-date=}}</ref>

Embedding the target state in a multilateral alliance reduces the costs borne by the power-seeking control, but it also offers the same binding benefits of the Lilliputian strategy. Furthermore, if a small power seeks control over another small power, multilateralism may be the only choice, because small powers rarely have the resources to exert control on their own. As such, power disparities are accommodated to the weaker states by having more predictable bigger states and means to achieve control through collective action. Powerful states also buy into multilateral agreements by writing the rules and having privileges such as veto power and special status.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

[[International organizations]], such as the [[United Nations]] (UN) and the [[World Trade Organization]], are multilateral in nature. The main proponents of multilateralism have traditionally been the [[middle power]]s, such as Canada, Australia, Switzerland, the [[Benelux]] countries and the [[Nordic countries]]. Larger states often act [[Unilateralism|unilaterally]], while smaller ones may have little direct power in [[International relations|international affairs]] aside from participation in the United Nations (by consolidating their UN vote in a voting bloc with other nations, for example.) Multilateralism may involve several nations acting together, as in the UN, or may involve regional or military alliances, pacts, or groupings, such as [[NATO]]. These multilateral institutions are not imposed on states but are created and accepted by them to increase their ability to seek their own interests through the coordination of their policies. <!-- there might be some criticizing that the UN lacks the power to enforce, but is this an objective term?  --> Moreover, they serve as frameworks that constrain opportunistic behaviour and encourage coordination by facilitating the exchange of information about the actual behaviour of states regarding the standards to which they have consented.

The term "regional multilateralism" has been proposed by [[Harris Mylonas]] and Emirhan Yorulmazlar, suggesting that "contemporary problems can be better solved at the regional rather than the bilateral or global levels" and that bringing together the concept of [[regional integration]] with that of multilateralism is necessary in today's world.<ref>Harris Mylonas and Emirhan Yorulmazlar, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20120118143839/http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/14/regional-multilateralism-should-be-the-next-paradigm-in-global-affairs/ Regional multilateralism: The next paradigm in global affairs]", ''CNN'', January 14, 2012.</ref> [[Regionalism (international relations)|Regionalism]] dates from the time of the earliest development of political communities, where economic and political relations naturally had a strong regionalist focus due to restrictions on technology, trade, and communications.<ref>[[Andrew Hurrell]], "One world, many worlds: the place of regions in the study of international society," International Affairs, 83:1, 2007, pp 127-146.</ref>

The [[conversion (logic)|converse]] of multilateralism is [[unilateralism]], in terms of [[political philosophy]].  Other authors have used the term "minilateralism" to refer to the fewest states required to get the biggest results through this institutional form.<ref>{{Citation|last=Brummer|first=Chris|chapter=Managing Minilateralism|pages=165–198|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-107-28199-8|doi=10.1017/cbo9781107281998.006|title=Minilateralism|year=2014}}</ref>

The foreign policy that India formulated after independence reflected its idiosyncratic culture and political traditions. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India, in March 1950, Nehru affirmed: “It should not be supposed that we are starting on a clean slate. It is a policy that flowed from our recent history and our national movement and its development and various ideals, we have proclaimed. (Nehru, 1961, p.&nbsp;34). In fact, the foreign policy culture of India is an elite culture, meaning, in effect, that the writings and speeches of select leading figures of the Indian foreign policy elite provide an insight into the key ideas and norms constituting the foundation of [[foreign policy of India|India's foreign policy]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9781137263117#aboutBook|title=India's Foreign Policy and Regional Multilateralism|last1=Ardnt|first1=Michael|date=2013|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK|edition=1|location=London, UK|doi=10.1057/9781137263124|isbn=978-1-349-44245-4|access-date=1 October 2018}}</ref>