SCIT

4th Semester

Core Course

Prof. Saravan K
Management of Globalization

History Example

Historical example ancient artifacts showing

beginning of writing, are examples of international
treaties concluded between cities of Mesopotamia.

Contains the promise that .kings friend is my

friend, his enemy is my enemy. Unilateralism
stated as a legal policy or tendency which is based
on the adoption of legal acts by a legislator while
the addressee is the neighbourhood, or the outside
world.

Bilateralism means the policy of entering into a

contractual obligation with another subject of
international law.

What is unilateralism ?

Unilateralism is any doctrine or agenda that supports onesided action. Such action may be in disregard for other
parties, or as an expression of a commitment toward a
direction which other parties may find agreeable.

Unilateralism is an antonym for multilateralism the doctrine

which asserts the benefits of participation from as many
parties as possible. Unilateralism may be preferred in those
instances when it's assumed to be the most efficient, i.e., in
issues that can be solved without cooperation.

Examples statements: Good vs bad, you are with us or

against us

What is multilateralism ?

In international relations, multilateralism is multiple countries

working in concert on a given issue. Multilateralism is the practice
of coordinating national policies in groups of three or more states.

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
powers such as Canada, Australia, Switzerland, and the Nordic
countries.

Larger states often act unilaterally, while smaller ones may have
little direct power in 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.

Shift to the east

Rich trade between European and American

economies 50% of global GDP
European crisis and the softening stand of US
mending relationships after previous blunders
Asian countries moving up in value chain, need
for more innovation and cooperation felt.
Connecting the Asian economies, supporting
efficient cross-border movement of goods and
capital, developing stronger economic relations.
Half of worlds population, GDP $18 trillion

Current status

USA had gained recognition earlier, a

reputation as a dynamic, free,
prosperous nation

The size of Americas military and

economy, its commercial and
technological success, and the global
penetration of its culture have
underwritten a high standard of living
and influence over others.

Hegemony
Criticisms about the western nature of
Hegemony European vs. American
The USA and its development as strong
global player, but also keeping the basic
dichotomy
Economic shifts: Forecasts about the
majority shift of global GDP to the east
Political Changes: End of dominance in
unilateralism attempts by Bush
Administration

Comparing
Multilateralism and Unilateralism

Compromise vs. Confrontation: Multilateralism, by definition,

requires compromise. Multiple nations are always going to have
multiple goals, backgrounds and methods of carrying things out.
This means that in order to get anything done, every nation
involved has to give a little -- the result may not be exactly what
each party envisioned, but it will be close enough. Unilateralism,
on the other hand, involves only one country, so it can essentially
write itself a political blank check, as there is nobody to negotiate
with.

Time-Consuming vs. Timely: Multilateralism is time consuming.

This is because the more people are involved in a decision, the
longer it takes to make. There are more stakeholders, more
consequences, more debate, and there is much more paperwork
involved. Unilateralism, on the other hand, is much quicker. If a
nation is operating by itself, its representatives don't have to
consult with other nations before making a move, therefore
making everything much quicker.

.Comparing
Multilateralism and Unilateralism

Global vs National: As the world becomes more complex and

connected, there are fewer and fewer problems that strictly belong
to one nation. Most large-scale events have a global effect.
Multilateralism is poised to deal with this aspect of the 21st
century -- global problems require global solutions, with more
consultation by more people. Unilateralism, on the other hand,
only recognizes national problems, which Lindsey Powell of Yale
University argues is too narrow a scope for most of the problems
facing today's leaders.

Elastic vs. Rigid: Multilateral solutions tend to be elastic. This is a

necessity, as they need to answer to so many different people
from different backgrounds. It is also useful, though, as the world
is elastic, so solutions that deal with its problems arguably should
be the same. Unilateralism, due to its single-state nature, tends to
be more rigid, as it has fewer stakeholders.

End of Lecture