Multilateralism and Soft Power: Emerging New Reality of Global

Power Syndrome
Multilateralism is the process of creating and maintaining relations
between the groups of states. It comprises certain principles that shape the
character of these relations such as indivisibility of interests among participants,
commitment to diffuse reciprocity, and a system of dispute settlement.
Multilateralism includes the membership in international institutions aimed to
bind the nations and discourage unilateralism. It gives small powers a voice and
influence which they may not otherwise exercise. It also enables one great
power to influence another great power to seek control. To Miles Kahler (1992)
multilateralism is "international governance" or global governance of the
"many," and its central principle was "opposition [to] bilateral discriminatory
arrangements that were believed to enhance the leverage of the powerful over
the weak and to increase international conflict." Robert Keohane (1990) called it
as "the practice of coordinating national policies in groups of three or more
states.

Multilateralism has a long history, but it is principally associated with the

era after the Second World War, wherein various multilateral agreements began
to take place. The victorious powers, primarily the United States and Soviet
Union created the United Nations in 1945 followed by many other international
organisations. This had the active participation of the major powers of the day.
Along with the UN, the post-war years also saw the development of the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) (now the WTO), the 'Bretton Woods'
institutions –IMF, World Bank, and other technical institutions like the World
Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) or
International Labour Organisation (ILO). Formation of these institutions

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promoted and strengthened multilateralism. Such institutions were diverse in
their nature, form and focus. Thus, one finds UNESCO, NATO, OIC, ASEAN,
European Union, African Union, Arab League and so on.

Multilateralism is primarily based on the centrality of states, which are

the constitutive elements of international relations. The emergence of global
problems such as climate change, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
(WMDs), and many others have indeed forced the states to respond to these
concerns through multilateral actions. Further, some new trends are emerging in
this process. The growing trend towards multi-polarity denoting the rising
number of states that act as key players makes several states as dominant
players at global or regional level. The (voting) behaviour of the BRICS
countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) in the UN and their
presence in the G20 illustrates this trend. Similarly, some new types of actors
are changing the nature of multilateralism. The rise of regional organisations
like EU and their involvement independently in the global affairs has potentially
unbalanced the ‘one state, one vote’ rule within the UN. These developments
encapsulate that multilateralism is no longer a play between merely the states,
other actors are arguably present and are profoundly changing the multilateral
interactions. Multilateralism encourages multiple countries to work together in
concert on a given issue or in an international organisation and they tend to
demonstrate their hard as well as soft power. Here in this essay we are
concerned with the linkage and relations between multilateralism and the soft
power.
Power has always been one of the core subjects of study of International
Relations, and much discussion and debate has revolved around whether power
should primarily be understood in material or non-material sense. Realism as an
approach to study power has dominated international relations for long and it

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has emphasised on a country’s economic and military capabilities and its
coercive capabilities. Power is built on the capital, economic and natural
resources, knowledge and Technological strength, military capabilities. etc.
However, in the recent times, some political scientists have begun to distinguish
between two types of power: hard and soft. The former is coercive (example:
military invasion) by nature while the latter is attractive in its appeal. Soft
power is ability of a state to make friends and influence people not through
military means, but through its most attractive assets, such as culture, language,
religion and values. Soft power creates love for the country rather than fear
from it.
Joseph Nye, the leading proponent and theorist of soft power suggests
that the instruments of soft power include debates on cultural values, dialogues
on ideology, the attempt to influence through good example, and the appeal to
commonly accepted human values. Further that, means of exercising soft power
include diplomacy, dissemination of information, analysis, propaganda, and
cultural programming to achieve political ends. Soft power has been greatly
recognised in international relations. The emergence of multilateralism as
discussed above is also a form of collective soft power. Since multilateral
actions promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation among the states, and
encourage the redressal of common concerns collectively, it encourages mutual
goodwill, coordination and cooperation.

Joseph Nye
In the era of globalisation and digital connectivity, soft power
increasingly influences the foreign policy strategies and ultimately draw
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towards multilateralism. If the soft power operates within the collective
consensus of the countries, the non-state actors must also be involved in using
soft power to increase consensus and cooperation. Soft power can be effectively
used to foster alliances among like-minded countries and play an important role
to create trans-national networks. These networks integrated with foreign policy
makers can play a vital role. With various multinational issues such as global
warming, climate change, it has become a necessity for countries based on
mutual interest to band up together. And our soft power approach will play a
vital role in fostering good relations among the countries. The fields of mutual
interests include: climate change action plans; save fragile mountainous
ecosystems; environmental cooperation in adjoining oceans; sustainable water
resource management; Phasing out lead paint; protecting vulnerable mountain
species; building shields against flooding in vulnerable areas; join forces and
beat pollution; levelling up biodiversity conservation; preparing groundwork for
cleaner soil where required.
The United Nations and Multilateral Frameworks
Multilateralism is part of the United Nations' core agenda. The UN
Charter provides one of the pillars of the international system in which we live.
The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, in his report on the
work of the United Nations to the General Assembly in 2018, emphasised that
the Charter remains the "moral compass to promote peace, advance human
dignity, prosperity and uphold human rights and the rule of law." The UN helps
its Member States to reach agreements and take collective decisions. The
Charter clearly establishes that the Organization is a “centre for harmonizing the
actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends” in order to “take
effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the
peace”, to “develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the
principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples” and to “achieve
international cooperation”. To this end, the United Nations must, in particular,
work to solve “international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or
humanitarian character” and develop “respect for human rights and for
fundamental freedoms for all”.
For more than 75 years, United Nations has created excellent multilateral
framework and has been diversifying them with the change of time. One of the
most visible developments in multilateralism is undoubtedly represented by the
increase in the number of its Member States from 51 in 1945, to 193 today. In
addition to this horizontal expansion, the multilateral cooperation it has also

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expanded vertically, including new actors, such as non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), private actors and other international organizations.

Today, more than 1,000 NGOs and international organizations have

observer status at the United Nations. Multilateralism has achieved tangible
results that have led to major advances, such as the eradication of smallpox in
the health sector, important international agreements to limit arms and to
promote and strengthen human rights. The international cooperation within the
multilateral framework of the United Nations is saving lives every day and
across the world.
Future of Multilateralism
Globalized world today has generated a variety of globalized problems –
from climate change to financial crises to cybersecurity – that can be effectively
addressed only through multilateral actions. Multilateralism is fundamental to a
liberal world order and crucial to maintain peace and prosperity. It has also been
central to the past successes of the G20 in addressing the global financial crisis
and promoting international financial stability. However, this system is now
under threat, with its core goals and values being challenged from different
directions. Dissatisfaction with multilateralism in many advanced industrialized
countries such as the United States is associated with the failure of global
governance in the post-Bretton Woods system to stem the tide of slow growth,
rising inequalities, rising migration, social fragmentation and job insecurities
associated with globalization and automation. It has therefore been recognized
that the current multilateral system needs to be reformed due to rapid changes in
the economic, demographic and political weight of advanced and emerging
economies. Political rigidities in multilateral organizations charged with

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overseeing economic globalization – such as the IMF, World Bank, UN, WTO
and others have prevented adequate reforms.
The resulting disillusionment with formal multilateralism has led to the
consideration of various alternatives, such as the parallel pursuit of bilateral
deals or cooperation that is limited to likeminded or geographically proximate
countries. None of these alternatives has plausible chances of completely
replacing multilateralism, however, since a globalized world facing globalized
challenges requires an open, rules-based international order to ensure that the
system works in the service of all nations and people. What is needed is to find
the right balance between true multilateralism, defined as universal rules of the
game, and the large number of agreements that permit greater flexibility to
move an agenda forward when universal consensus cannot, or need not, be
achieved.

It is pertinent to mention here that multilateralism is a means to social and

economic prosperity and it ought to be used as an instrument to promote strong,
sustainable, balanced, and inclusive growth within all the countries thereby
strengthen their mutually beneficial soft power. This approach can also help to
promote and protect certain universal values, such as those contained in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which all nations subscribe. The
goals of multilateral frameworks must be in terms of the public interest and
enhance the well-being of people living under diverse national circumstances.
The objective must not be harmonization for its own sake, but the promotion of
empowered citizens, living prosperous lives in sustainable, inclusive and
thriving communities.

Crises of Multilateralism
Recently, multilateralism has become more akin to a faltering hot air
balloon, as it has entered a state of crisis or decline. The postcolonial backlash
against the predominance of the West and the rising tide of populism have been
profoundly eroding the liberal values underpinning the multilateral system.
While previously major powers were at least paying lip service to the
multilateral agenda, some leaders, like US President Donald Trump, openly
disavowing or contested it.

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 Post-Corona World Order

Pursuing an aggressive “America first” policy or withdrawing from the

Paris climate convention, the Trump administration relinquished the traditional
role of the US as herald of a multilateral liberal order. If China tries to bend the
multilateral system in its favour, is setting up parallel governance structures
such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation or the China Development Bank,
the EU is internally divided to lose influence on the international scene. The G8
has shrunk to the G7, and a trade war is looming between the US and China.
The UN and its many agencies are losing their lustre, are criticised for their lack
of efficiency, institutional sclerosis and ideological infighting. The WTO has
failed to conclude the negotiations of the Doha Agenda started in 2001, as
bilateralism and protectionism are resurging worldwide, and its dispute
settlement system has stalled. The governance of the internet is forfeiting its
initial aspiration of a borderless knowledge society as a few private companies
are hoarding data exponentially and authoritarian states are misusing it as a tool
of surveillance and repression. Such a scenario amply defines the ongoing crises
of multilateralism.

Conclusion
Soft power is usually believed to stem from famous people, food, culture,
art, media, and entertainment in the form of literature, dramas, movies, music,

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performances. It is believed to be influence the countries and people through
soft means. Contrary to hard power, soft power creates a country’s acceptability
in different parts of the world thus enhancing its influence. It has become a very
important tool of foreign policy. After the end of Second World War, as the
countries came together to create a new multilateral order and create
international institutions, a new wave of multilateral cooperative frameworks
emerged creating a collective soft power. The new mechanism was created by
all for the benefit of all. Since each country is equal stakeholder in this earth it
is responsibility of all to create multilateral frameworks of cooperation. This has
the potential to create goodwill and use of soft power for the mutual benefits.
International organisations, the state governments, non-state actors and
international non-governmental organisations have come together to create an
echo system of good will and cooperation. There are various challenges to
multilateralism but at the end of the day it is bound to thrive in the interest of a
secure common future of mankind.