National Interests

Dr. Fayyaz Ahmad Faize

Summary

• Meaning and concept of Power• Definition of National Power• Components of National Power

1. Population

2. Technology

3. Geography

4. National Character and Morale

5. Economic Development

6. Leadership

7. Diplomacy

8. Ideology

9. Military Preparedness

10. Natural Resources

Summary

Limitations on National Power

1. Balance of Power

2. International Morality

3. World Public Opinion

4. Disarmament

5. International Organization

National Interests (NI)

• Concept and definition• Development • Types of national interests• How to promote national interest?• National Interest and Foreign Policy

Interest

• Princes rule People and interests rule princes (Rohan)• The politicians used the term to seek support for their action

and policies esp. in external affairs

http://blogs.thenews.com.pk/blogs/2013/03/national-interest-or-personal-interest/

Interest

• A man has interest

Personal interests• A nation being collection of men also has interest

National interests

Q. What is a man’s personal interest?• security of life, property, money, fame, name, self-esteem etc.

Q. What may be national interest?

Something similar to above as it is collection of men

e.g.

Security of nation, security of land, economic development, international recognition, prosperity

National Interest

• The concept is very vague and unclear• Difficult to know exactly a state’s national interests

Brooking’s Institute: National interest is ‘the general and continuing ends for which a nation acts’

Dyke: the interest which the states seek to protect or achieve in relation to each other

Morgenthau: ‘A country’s national interests is proportional to its capacities’

The greater the capacity, the more the national interests e.g. US• Marx: National interests is a hoax. There are no national

interests, there are only class interests.

Development of National Interest

• Has a recent growth

In the early middle ages: • National interest was linked with the interest of church.• The state must struggle to protect church and its faith• All laws shall be in conformity with church’s teachings• No law or even scientific knowledge or inquiry shall be against

church’s teaching

Development cont.

• After peace of Westphalia and the Protestant struggle for reforming church

• The power of church was weakened and secular forces won• The king/prince became independent• Church has no role now in governmental affairs• The national interest was now regarded as interest of the ruling

class-the prince/monarch• These include protection of ones’ kingdom from other claimant • Protection and expansion of territory of state• Protection and strengthening of the ruling dynasty/royal family

Development cont.

Struggle between Monarch and democratic forces• Victory of people/parliament over Monarch• National interest shifted from the interest of monarch to interest

of the people…….interest of the nation ….national interest

Kinds of National Interest

• According to Robinson: 6 categories of national interests

1. Primary

2. Secondary

3. Permanent

4. Variable

5. General

6. Specific

http://paragkhanna.com/surge-of-the-second-world/

1. Primary Interest

• The first and the most important interest-crucial for existance• A state must defend them at all cost• No compromise or negotiation is possible • Its protection is very sacred and all kinds of sacrifice is made• Examples:• Protection of land/borders/• Protection of all people living in the state (all diverse groups,

minorities etc.)• protection and preservation of political institution (whether

democratic, monarchic),• protection and preservation of culture (language, literature,

art, architecture, norms, values, customs, traditions etc.)

2. Secondary Interests

• Comes after primary interest and thus are important• Protection of citizens in foreign countries• Ensuring diplomatic immunities for the diplomatic staff and

their protection

3. Permanent Interests

• Refers to long term interest which remain constant for longer period of time

• The change in permanent interest is rather slow as a rapid change can invite resistance and resentment from ruling class, people, army, pressure groups etc.

• Example: Britain permanent interest was to ensure freedom of navigation in the oceans to maintain control on her colonies and her trade

• US developed a permanent interest in the gulf region to control and regulate oil reservoir and supply

• Muslim states have a permanent interest in Holy places in Saudi Arab; Jews in Jerusalem

4. Variable Interests

• Interests that may change and are not constant• The interest may change due to:• Change in government (conservative vs liberal)• change in leader/ruler, (new prince/king coming to power)• Change in the situation prevailing at that time (Energy crises in

Pakistan require government to give priority to investment in dams and other power projects such as Iran gas pipe project)

• Change in public opinion due to some event/need (India’s nuclear explosion in 1998 intensified a public opinion in Pakistan for same test at that time)

• Pressure due to other political parties (In Turkey, victory of Islamic party brought many changes in the government against secular parties)

Variable interest cont.

• US interest in Pakistan during cold war and then ignoring Pakistan after USSR disintegration. Then again attention after 9/11 when the World Trade Center was attacked.

5. General Interests

• Refers to interests that are related to large number of nations• They may be related to multilateral trade, diplomacy, power

etc.• Example: Britain general interest was to maintain balance of

power in Europe continent• All Muslim countries general interest in Saudi Arabia due to

holy places

Specific Interests

• Interest of specific/special nature of a state• Pakistan specific interest of friendly relations with Arab states, • bilateral trade (Afghan Transit Trade)

Summary

• Interest• National Interest• Development of National Interest

Interest of church, interest of the ruling class, interest of the people.• Kinds of National Interest

1. Primary

2. Secondary

3. Permanent

4. Variable

5. General

6. Specific