TRADITIONAL DIPLOMACY: WHAT ARE YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF THE ‘OLD’ DIPLOMACY? HAS IT BECOME OUTMODED?

Traditional ‘old’ diplomacy has a long history as discussed in our last mandatory blog entrance referring to Barry White and the tablet from 2500BC. Traditional diplomatic instruments and institutions have shown a remarkable resilience and ability to adapt throughout time. However, during the 20th century a lot of factors have changed introducing new means of faster communication and interaction. International society has become a more complex place with both state and non-state actors engaging in the policy formulating process. The issues have also become more complex, diverting the focus from ‘only’ ‘high’ politics to including ‘low’ politics issues on the agenda. Furthermore, new paradigms were ‘born’ like the notion of ‘human security’ introducing new concerns of the environment, health, good governance, human rights, etc. as global challenges need collective solutions.
Morgenthau was very pessimistic about the evolution of diplomacy, and meant that it would be a cause of conflict in itself due to the publicity and the inability to save face. However, other disagrees with this view point like the former Indian diplomat Kishan Rana, who argues that the bilateral institutions far from have been rendered obsolete despite of technological advances as new roles and obligations still need to be carried out such as the marketing of the country trying to attract FDI among other things. Furthermore, there is still the need of minor tasks such as consular services, and the creation of networks and maintaining them.
Relatively new instruments such as shuttle and summitry diplomacy may be useful, but behind the scenes the traditional instruments are still in use and far from outmoded.
It is my impression that the ‘old’ diplomacy consisting of secret, bilateral diplomacy concerned with ‘high’ politics of security, war and territory, is still relevant despite new incentives like multilateral, shuttle and summitry diplomacy as well as the technological advances. The traditional diplomatic instruments are working alongside the ‘new’ fulfilling the demands of globalisation and its challenges, and it is in my opinion far from being outmoded due to the adaptability and versatility.