Multilateralism and Post-Cold War US Foreign Policy

What does multilateralism mean?

Formal Conception

States interact in regular pattern guided by generalized principles of conduct — i.e., principles which specify appropriate conduct for a class of actions, without regard to the particularistic interests of the parties or the strategic exigencies at the time. (Ruggie, 1992)

Practical Conception

States consult and cooperate over shared aims without resort to coercion, bribery, and blackmail. States do not take unilateral action or exert bilateral pressure.

US Membership in Selected Multilateral Institutions

- United Nations

- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

- World Trade Organization

- World Bank

- International Monetary Fund

Unilateralism v. Multilateralism

- both are forms of internationalism; not isolationism or restraint

	Unilateralism	Multilateralism
Pros	- freedom of action - able to act quickly - able to maximize interest - reduces international obligations	- burden-sharing reduces costs - agreements are mutually enforcing - appeals to norms and obligations salient
Cons	- limited burden-sharing - negotiating costs are high - enforcement of agreements/impositions is costly - limited appeal to norms and obligations -	- complex consultation process - limited freedom of action - national interests must be compromised in cooperating - free-riding may occur

Arguments about Multilateralism and Unilateralism

For unilateralism

- US unipolarity makes multilateralism unnecessary

- Multilateralism will enmesh US in costly and ill-advised interventions (other states may exploit the spirit of multilateralism)

- Economic and security issues can be divided and compartmented (WTO v. peacekeeping)

- Multilateralism may compromise liberal visions (markets, human rights)

- US sovereignty is threatened by multilateralism (partially flawed)

For multilateralism

- US foreign policy goals cannot be achieved unilaterally

- Economic liberalization requires multilateral cooperation

- Security and economic issues cannot be separated easily in international diplomacy (failure to cooperate in one sphere may damage relations in another)

- Unipolarity gives the US opportunity to shape multilateral cooperation and institutions favorably

- Liberal visions must be institutionalized multilaterally to become regulatory norms in international politics

Has the US been more unilateral or more multilateral?

Economic Affairs

- most multilateral area of USFP

- WTO & NAFTA

- Negotiating FTAA

- Dominant in IMF and WB

Military/Security Affairs

- NATO is strongly multilateral

- Intermittent multilateralism in UNSC

- Signed CWC but failed to ratify CTBT or sign landmine convention

- Iraq policy: threatened unilateralism

- Terrorism policy: what is it?

Transnational Issues

- International Criminal Court: US opposed; withdrew signature

- Kyoto Protocol: signed but not action; “effectively dead”