RAWALPINDI WOMEN UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT: POLITICAL SCIENCE

SEMESTER: 4th

COURSE TITLE: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

COURSE CODE: POL-2203

SUBMITTED TO: MAM FOUZIA

SUBMITTED BY: NOOR SIDDIQUI

ROLL NO: 1910151022

ASSIGNMENT # 1

TOPIC: NATIONAL INTERESTS

National interests
 Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 3
MEANING OF NATIONAL INTERSTS .................................................................................................... 3
DEFINITIONS OF NATIONAL INTERESTS ............................................................................................ 5
HISTORY ..................................................................................................................................................... 5
CLASSIFICATION OF NATIONAL INTERESTS .................................................................................... 6
• Primary Interests ............................................................................................................................ 6
• Secondary Interests ........................................................................................................................ 6
• Permanent Interests ........................................................................................................................ 7
• Variable Interests............................................................................................................................ 7
• General Interests............................................................................................................................. 7
• Specific Interests ............................................................................................................................ 7
COMPONENTS OF NATIONAL INTERESTSBASED ON CONTENT .................................................. 8
NATIONAL INTERESTS AND INTERNATIONAL INTERESTS ........................................................... 9
METHODS FOR PROMOTING AND SECURING NATIONAL INTERESTS...................................... 10
• Diplomatic negotiations .............................................................................................................. 10
• Alliances and Treaties ................................................................................................................ 10
• Coercive measures ...................................................................................................................... 10
• Propaganda ................................................................................................................................. 10
• Economic means ......................................................................................................................... 10
REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................... 12

National interests
“NATIONAL INTEREST”

INTRODUCTION

National Interest’ is a key concept in International

Relations. All the nations are always engaged in the
process of fulfilling or securing the goals of their
national interests. The foreign policy of each nation is
formulated on the basis of its national interest and it is
always at work for securing its goals. It is a universally
accepted right of each state to secure its national
interests. A state always tries to justify its actions on
the basis of its national interest. The behavior of a state
is always conditioned and governed by its national interests.

Different nations have different concerns. A developed nation such as the United States will have
different national interests than a developing nation. Developing nations are most likely to be
interested in the survival of their people and their nation. Their interest will be in feeding and
protecting their people. Developed nations such as Japan and the United States tend to be most
interested in the growth of their economies. Political leaders define national interests. As
political leadership changes in a country, so does the national interest. Hence it is essential for us
to know the meaning and content of National Interest.

MEANING OF NATIONAL INTERSTS

National Interest is a vague and ambiguous term that carries a meaning according to the context
in which it is used. Statesmen and policy-makers have always used it in ways suitable to them
and to their objective of justifying the actions of their states. Hitler justified expansionist policies
in the name of “German national interests.”

National interests
The US presidents have always justified their decisions to go in for the development of more and
more destructive weapons in the interest of “US national interest.” To build up a strong nuclear
base at Diego Garcia was justified by the USA in the name of meeting the challenge posed by
erstwhile USSR as well as for protecting the US interests in the Indian Ocean. During 1979-89,
(erstwhile) USSR justified its intervention in Afghanistan in the name of “Soviet national
interests”.

China justified its border disputes with India and the Soviet Union in the name of attempts to
secure the national interests of China. Now the P-5 countries talk of Non- proliferation and arms
control in terms of the national interests of all the nations.

All these and many more examples can be quoted to stress the ambiguity that surrounds the
concept of National Interest. This ambiguity hinders the process of formulating a universally
accepted definition of National Interest. However, several scholars have tried to define National
Interest.

National interests
DEFINITIONS OF NATIONAL INTERESTS

(1) “The general, long term and continuing purpose which the state, the nation, and the
government all see themselves as serving.” —Charles Lerche and Abdul

(2) National Interest is: “What a nation feels to be necessary to its security and well-being …
National interest reflects the general and continuing ends for which a nation acts.” —Brookings
Institution

(3) “National Interest is, which states seek to protect or achieve in relation to each other. It
means desires on the part of sovereign states.” —Vernon Von Dyke

(4) “The meaning of national interest is survival—the protection of physical, political and
cultural identity against encroachments by other nation-states”. — Morgenthau

HISTORY

 Prior to reformations that swept 16th century Europe, national interest was often understood
as secondary to that of religion. To engage in a war, rulers would need to justify the action in
such context.

 The expression "reason of state" (Ragion di Stato) was first popularized by Italian political
thinker Giovanni Botero, and championed by Italian diplomat and political thinker Niccolò
Machiavelli.

 The practice is considered to have been employed by France under the direction of its Chief
Minister Cardinal Richelieu in the Thirty Years' War when it intervened on
the Protestant side, despite its own Catholicism, in order to block the increasing power of the
Catholic Holy Roman Emperor.

 At Richelieu's prompting, Jean de Silhon defended the concept of raison d'État as "a mean
between what conscience permits and affairs require."

National interests
 The notion of the national interest soon came to dominate European politics, which became
fiercely competitive over the next centuries. It would become a form of reason "born of the
calculation and the ruse of men," recognizing the state as "a knowing machine, a work of
reason;" the state ceases to be derived from the divine order and is henceforth subject to its
own particular necessities. States would now be able to openly pursue action based on self-
interest. Likewise, mercantilism can be seen as the economic justification of the aggressive
pursuit of the national interest.

CLASSIFICATION OF NATIONAL INTERESTS

In order to be more precise in examining the interest which a nation seeks to secure, Thomas W.
Robinson presents a six fold classification of interests which nations try to secure.

These are:

 Primary Interests:

These are those interests in respect of which no nation can compromise. It includes the
preservation of physical, political and cultural identity against possible encroachments by other
states. A state has to defend these at all costs.

 Secondary Interests:

These are less important than the primary interests. Secondary Interests are quite vital for the
existence of the state. This includes the protection of the citizens abroad and ensuring of
diplomatic immunities for the diplomatic staff.

National interests
 Permanent Interests:

These refer to the relatively constant long-term interests of the state. These are subject to very
slow changes. The US interest to preserve its spheres of influence and to maintain freedom of
navigation in all the oceans is the examples of such interests.

 Variable Interests:

These refer to the interests of a nation, which are considered vital for national good in a given set
of circumstances. Changed situations or circumstances may make such interest redundant being
no-more-required. For instance, the US interest to contain the influence of USSR ceased to exist
after the demise of Cold War.

 General Interests:

These refer to those positive conditions which apply to a large number of nations or in a several
specified fields such as economics, trade, diplomatic intercourse etc. For instance it is in general
interest of Pakistan to maintain strategic military balance in South Asia.

 Specific Interests:

Through the logical outgrowth of the general interest, specific interests are defined in terms of
time or space. For instance, it was in Pakistan's interest to combat terrorism in all its forms and
manifestation or it was in the US interest to support other nations in combating communist
insurgencies during the Cold War.

National interests
COMPONENTS OF NATIONAL INTERESTSBASED ON CONTENT

Security Interests Economic Interests Ideological Interests

include such things as: include such things as: include such things as:

• Protecting national borders • Protecting and/or promoting • Protecting and/or promoting

an adequate standard of living a just/moral way of life

for domestic citizens

• Ensuring the safety of • Protecting and/or promoting • Protecting and/or promoting

citizens from harm by foreign adequate levels of domestic a just/moral system of politics,

enemies employment law, and government

• Protecting areas of military • Establishing trade relations • Protecting and/or promoting

importance (military supply with other nations the cultural and/or religious

routes, allies that host military values of a nation or a people

bases, etc.)

• Protecting bases and sources • Maintaining economic power • Advancing and protecting a

of national power to ensure economic self- universal conception of

determination freedom, justice, progress

• Protecting allies • Ensuring economic • Protecting and/or promoting

development and growth the cultural and/or religious

values of a nation or a people

National interests
NATIONAL INTERESTS AND INTERNATIONAL INTERESTS

• In a broad sense, international interests refer to the common interests of countries or the
common interest of mankind.
• First, international interests are part of national interests.
• When we discuss international interests from the viewpoint of the common welfare of all
mankind, these global international interests benefit people all around the world.
• Examples are world peace, a good ecological environment, a stable international financial
order, equal international political systems, etc.
• When global international interests are realized, all countries can be beneficiaries.
• To certain countries, their collective international interests are their collective national
interests.
• Second, some reasonable national interests can be opposed to collective international
interests but still coincide with global international interests.
• For instance, after the Cold War establishing a stable world order was one of the most
important international interests.
• A peaceful environment is helpful for every country's economic development as it promotes
further merging of the world economy.
• Third, a country’s national interest may be diametrically opposed to international interests.
• If a country's national interest is opposite to the common interest of all mankind, then it must
be unreasonable.
• For example, Iraq annexed Kuwait with military force in 1989. In order to maintain the
principle of respect for sovereign territorial integrity, which is generally accepted in the
international community, the international community imposed military sanctions against
Iraq.
• Iraq believed its national interest was severely damaged, so international interests were in
direct conflict with Iraq's national interest.
• However, on August 2 and 6, 1990, the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed
resolution 660 which required Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait without condition; and
resolution 661 on comprehensive sanctions against Iraq.

National interests
METHODS FOR PROMOTING AND SECURING NATIONAL INTERESTS

There are at least five popular methods by which states normally adopt to promote and secure
their national interests in international relations.

These include:

1) Diplomatic negotiations
2) Alliances and Treaties
3) Coercive measures
4) Propaganda
5) Economic means

1) Diplomatic Negotiations:

Diplomacy is a universally accepted means for securing national interests. It is through

diplomacy that the foreign policy of a state is conducted. It seeks to secure the goals of national
interests. Diplomatic negotiations are used to reconcile the divergent national interests of states
through the process of “mutual give and take”. Diplomats establish contacts with the decision-
makers and diplomats of other nations and conduct negotiations for achieving the desired goals
and objectives of national interests of their states. Diplomats use persuasion and threats, rewards
and threats of denial of rewards as means for exercising power and securing goals of national
interest as defined by foreign policy of their states

2) Alliances and Treaties:

Alliances and Treaties are concluded by two or more states for securing their common interests.
They mostly used for securing identical and complementary interests. However, even conflictual
interests may lead to alliances and treaties with like-minded states against the common rivals or

National interests
opponents. Alliances and treaties make it a legal obligation for the members of the alliances or
signatories of the treaties to work for the promotion of agreed common interests.

The nature of an alliance depends upon the nature of interest which is sought to be secured.
Accordingly, the alliances are either military or economic in nature.

The need for securing the security of capitalist democratic states against the expanding
‘communist menace’ led to the creation of military alliances like NATO, SEATO, CENTO,
ANZUS etc. Alliances and Treaties are thus popular means for securing national interests.

3) Coercive measures:

The role of power in international relations is a recognized fact. International Law also
recognizes coercive means short of war as the methods that can be used by states for fulfilling
their desired goals and objectives. Today, nations fully realize the importance of peaceful means
of conflict resolution like negotiations and diplomacy but use coercive means, whenever they
find it expedient and necessary. Today world public opinion accepts the use of war and other
forcible means for the elimination of international terrorism. All these means are used by all the
nations for securing their national interests.

However, in the interest of international peace, security and prosperity, nations are expected to
refrain from using coercive means particularly war and aggression. These are expected to depend
upon peaceful means for the settlement of disputes and for securing their interests.

4) Propaganda:

Propaganda is the art of salesmanship. It is the art of convincing others about the justness of the
goals and objectives or ends which are desired to be secured. “Propaganda is a systematic
attempt to affect the minds, emotions and actions of a given group for a specific public purpose.”
—Frankel

National interests
It is directly addressed to the people of other states and its aim is always to secure the self-
interests—interests which are governed exclusively by the national interests of the propagandist.
The revolutionary development of the means of communications (Internet) in the recent times
has increased the scope of propaganda as a means for securing support for goals of national
interest.

5) Economic means:

The rich and developed nations use economic aid and loans as the means for securing their
interests in international relations. The existence of a very wide gap between the rich and poor
countries provides a big opportunity to the rich nations for promoting their interests vis-a-vis the
poor nations. The dependence of the poor and lowly- developed nations upon the rich and
developed nations for the import of industrial goods, technological know-how, foreign aid,
armaments and for selling raw materials has been responsible for strengthening the role of
economic instruments of foreign policy. In this era of Globalization conduct of international
economic relation has emerged as a key means of national interests.

REFERENCES:

https://prog.lmu.edu.ng/colleges_CMS/document/books/National%20Interest%20&%20International%20
Interest,%20Part%201.pdf

https://slideplayer.com/slide/4572918/

https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/international-politics/national-interest-meaning-components-and-
methods/48487

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_interest

THANKYOU

National interests