Role of national interest in the formulation of foreign policy in brief
Answers
Explanation:
There is no precise definition of national interest. But in simple terns, national interest consists of major goals of nation, while in interaction with other nations. However, the components of the National Interest can be clearly separated and understood. First is permanent component or core interest- the security and territorial integrity of a nation. Nations do not compromise with their core interest, whatever may be their size, strength, or political regime. The Second component is non-permanent and may keep on changing with time- economic development, gaining regional or global influence, or protecting the interests of Diaspora and so on.
Foreign policy is the tool to realize the national interest. The foreign policy of makers define and articulate the national interest, in relations to national interests of other nations and prevailing global conditions norms and institutions. For example, if a country perceives high threat perception, its foreign policy will concentrate in addressing the same. India ‘s threat perceptions are high with respect to China and Pakistan and foreign policy will have to take this factor in to account. Similarly other component of national interests are defined and put into practice though foreign policy. America’s geographical location, away from the crisis zones of Europe during the two world war made her secure and concentrate on economic development.
All nations have their own national interests. During the actual conduct of foreign policy, nations try to maximize their national interests by cooperation, conflict or alliances with other nations. When, the national interests of the two countries are congruent with each other, they develop close relations, which are mutually beneficial. On the contrary, if their interest are defined in such a manner that one’s loss becomes another gain (Zero-Sum-Game), there relations are likely to be conflicting. Other patterns of relations fall in between these two categories of cooperation and conflict.
Thus national interest not only determines the broad contours of a foreign policy, but also gives direction to foreign policy in its operation. if there is change in the components of national interest of a country, it will be reflected in the priorities of her foreign policy. For example in the post-cold war globalized world, nearly all nations have given prominence to economic interests like trade, investment, development partnership etc and the same is reflected foreign policies of nations. Even a separate branch of foreign policy known as ‘Economic Diplomacy’has emerged.