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State and Multilateralism: History and Perspectives

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State, Globalization and Multilateralism

Part of the book series: United Nations University Series on Regionalism ((UNSR,volume 5))

Abstract

There is an evident gap between the increasing relevance of multilateral regimes, arrangements and organizations on the one hand and the existing multidisciplinary research on this crucial side of global governance and international life.

The chapter looks first at the three periods of history of multilateral cooperation amongst states, second at the current legitimacy and efficiency gaps and third at the future alternative scenarios.

On the one hand, a fragmented and contingent, instrumental multilateral cooperation is emerging within the current multipolar world. On the other, the EU experience looks as a laboratory for a broader tendency towards a new multilateral global agenda: even the various cooperation cultures characterizing the old and emergent powers and regional entities abroad look as not entirely incompatible with the need of limiting the current implementation gaps, spreading up diffuse reciprocity and improving the contingent legitimacy of the twentieth century.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    H. Kissinger, Speech at the Bertelsmann Foundation Forum, 2006.

  2. 2.

    Universal Postal Union (1865), International office of weights and measures (1875), International meteorological organization (1878), International agriculture office (1907), International public hygiene office (1907), International statistics office (1913).

  3. 3.

    Ch Kindleberger, The World in Depression: 1929–1939, University of California Press 1973.

  4. 4.

    And others like B. Russels and J.A. Hobson.

  5. 5.

    According to the UN Charter, multilateralism implies ‘establishing conditions under which justice and respect of the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained’.

  6. 6.

    See the series of the ‘Mercury papers’, among them ‘Diplomatic Strategies of Major Powers. Competing Patterns of International Relations? The Cases of the USA, China and the EU’, by N. Klein, W. Reiners, Chen Zhimin, J. Jumbo, I Slosarcik, February 2010 and ‘The Evolving Doctrine of Multilateralism in the 21st Century’, by E. Lazarou, G. Edwards, C. Hill and J. Smith, February 2010.

  7. 7.

    See the article by Bhawan Ruangsilp (2007).

  8. 8.

    See Chap. 5 by Chen Zhimin, ‘International Responsibility, Multilateralism and China’s Foreign Policy’ in this volume and Quing (2005).

  9. 9.

    See A. Gamble’s Chap. 3 of this book. See also Gamble and Lane (2010).

  10. 10.

    Ikenberry (2011), much deeper than the analysis provided by the journalist Zacharia (2009).

  11. 11.

    Regarding the practical example of the EU-CEEC relationship during the 1990s (K.E. Smith 2004, The Hague conference), we witnessed a mix between a multilateral organization, on the one hand (the EU) and its bilateral relationship with individual CEEC, on the other hand, as a way of imposing sanctions for violations of agreements.

  12. 12.

    Axelrod (1984), focusing on the application of game theory to cooperation.

  13. 13.

    See for example: Hill, C. & Smith, M. (2005); Haas, E.B. (1980). Keohane R. and Nye J. (1989).

  14. 14.

    For the open method of coordination, look at M. Telò (2003). It is an informal mode of governance, inclusive of all member states, started in 1997 (EES) and in 2000 (Lisbon strategy): it entails a monitoring of the implementation process and possibly also recommendation to the states who do not comply to the EU guidelines and the (consistently approved) national plans. The commission plays a proactive role, and the process is open to the contribution of social partners. The OMC is criticized for being too soft as the constraining power is concerned; however, it is of daily use by several hundreds national and EU civil servants. The Lisbon Treaty of 2009 implicitly supports the OMC in industrial, social, research and social policy.

    The ‘enhanced cooperation’ or closer cooperation is by contrary a hard legal provision of the EU Treaty since The Treaty of Amsterdam (1997) and allows a certain number of states (1/3 of MS) to go ahead by deepening their integration on a specific issue in spite of the missing participation of the others, provided that it occurs in the framework of the objectives of the treaty.

  15. 15.

    However, it makes in 2007 more than 13,000 million Euro, 1% of a total GDP of the EU-27, of 13,000 billion Euro, superior to the one of the US.

  16. 16.

    For example, while the Andean community and ECOWAS account for less than 10% and 20% infra-regional trade, EU data are impressive: in 2003, 66.7% of the trade of the 25 member states is internal EU trade. See Garnet database and indicators of regional integration: www.garnet.com

  17. 17.

    Art 1.7: ‘To strengthen democracy, enhance good governance and the rule of law and to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms with due regard to the rights and responsibilities of the Member States of ASEAN’. Art 2.2.h, i and l: ‘adherence to the rule of law, good governance, the principles of democracy and constitutional government’, ‘respect for fundamental freedoms, the promotion and protection of human rights and the promotion of social justice’; ‘upholding the UN Charter and international law, including international humanitarian law, subscribed by ASEAN Member States’.

  18. 18.

    See the book’s Chap. 6 by V. Schmidt.

  19. 19.

    See the chapters by R. Higgott in Telò (2007).

  20. 20.

    Kant (1797) and Habermas (1996); regarding the concept of a cosmopolitan democracy see also Held (1995).

  21. 21.

    Wouters (2007); Lane (2008). More innovative, Marchetti (2011).

  22. 22.

    Network of excellence focusing on ‘EU and Global governance’ funded by the 6th Framework Programme EU Commission between 2005 and 2010.

  23. 23.

    As article 5 of the NATO treaty or the solidarity clause of the Lisbon treaty (art 3 TEU, art 42.7 TEU and art 222 TFEU).

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Acknowledgements

I would like to express my thanks to the GARNET Network of excellence (6th FP EU Commission) for funding my research at the LSE (Centre for international relations and library) in 2009/2010. Moreover, I would like to express my gratitude to the St Antony’s College, its warden, Prof. M. MacMillan, Oxford (and notably the Centre for European Studies and his director, Prof. K. Nikolaidis) and the Columbia University, New York (Centre for European Studies and his director, Prof. Vicki de Grazia) for welcoming me as a visiting scholar, inviting me to present my research in seminars and allowing me to accede to the university and college libraries during the same academic year.

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  1. Institute for European Studies, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Avenue F D Roosevelt 39, 1050, Bruxelles, Belgium

    Mario Telò

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    Mario Telò

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Telò, M. (2012). State and Multilateralism: History and Perspectives. In: Telò, M. (eds) State, Globalization and Multilateralism. United Nations University Series on Regionalism, vol 5. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2843-1_2

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