GLOBALIZATION, RESPECT AND PEACE by Mark Khim Baguio

Aiming forward for globalization, learning international protocol has become very sophisticated and strategic appealing in dealing with business people, government and in the diplomatic world.

The discussions about diplomatic ethics and global protocol taught us how to learn and understand the ways to respect different cultures among different nations. To respect these cultural differences means to know them even in the smallest delivery of gestures otherwise it will create embarrassment and chaos even if actions do not intend to demeaning their beliefs. Knowing these ethical standards in dealing with the nation’s leaders and representatives gives strength to the bonds of relationship among countries. But before I begin to appreciate diplomacy and international ethics, I read some related articles about diplomacy to be able to understand its meaning and how it works effectively or ineffectively to some international relations or among different states.

According to Roberto Toscano, an Italian Diplomat, the most satisfactory definition of diplomacy is the one by James Der Derian, a research professor both in international studies and political science, “the mediation of estranged people organized in states which interact in a system” while diplomatic culture as “the mediation of estrangement by symbolic power and social constraints”. The necessary elements of otherness ( estranged people), the focus of relationship (mediation), the reference to the fact that the protagonist are the “states which interact in a system: and the combination of “symbolic power”and Social constraints: referring to the mix (present at all levels of politics) between material power and symbolic hegemony (Robert Toscano).

The presentations about diplomacy and ethics reflect some principles which are considered as fundamental pillars of international law: the sovereign equality of states, peaceful settlement of disputes, no threat or use of force, fulfillment in good faith of international obligations, cooperations with other states and respect of human rights and fundamental freedom. Respect does not come by the size of a nation in terms of territory nor how big their economy and how powerful their military defenses. It is because of this diplomacy that that each nation is equal in the exercise of human rights concerning international spectrum.

But in the discussion about diplomacy as a way of making international relationship,  there were issues raised about the substantial disparity between ethics and international relations. In his article about Ethics and International Relations, John Dewey, a philosophy professor at Columbia University and author of many books about philosophy, politics and education, posed a big question on why men’s morals have so little effect in regulating the attitude of nations to one another and that the truth seems to be rather that man's morals are paralyzed when it comes to international conduct; that they are swept away and rendered impotent by larger forces that go their own way irrespective of the morals that are employed in everyday matters. The disparity comes in when moral habits cannot be applied in some state affairs between dealings with other nations. Dewey suggested two approaches in this problem by way of questions. First, we may ask what are the actual forces that have grown so powerful that they have escaped from moral control and secondly, what are the factors that prevent moral habits and ideas from operation.

During the presentation about diplomatic ethics and that some countries were specifically mentions like Japan and those in the middle east, there were cultural beliefs that contradict some moral habits that majority of men and women are doing everyday particularly in most business industries. However, because of the establishments of international protocol which involves etiquette on a local and international scale, and the practice of good manners on a daily basis, these differences particularly affecting morality are justified because such protocol ensures that each country will be respected uniformly and without bias. This is also a way of showing politeness in a way that shows respect which is expressed visibly in through spoken courtesies .

I think the answer to the questions posed by Dewey regarding disparity between ethics and international relation is that each nation it always at highest effort to promote peace and harmony. In this case, peace among nations emanate from respect of cultural and long-practiced traditions. I think the argument of controlling and escaping morality when it comes to international conduct is not about choosing an evil over a good one but choosing a better good for the best of the majority in a macroeconomic sense. One nation cannot maximize their way of living parrel to time without connecting outside its own border. Even communist countries trade with other non-communist to address their different needs.

Convincingly, it is important to know the practices and protocol of international relations and ethics in diplomacy to continue and to strengthen the bonds of diplomatic friendship and alliance. And too this end, I would like to share this quote from an unknown author,  “When a diplomat says yes he means perhaps; when he says perhaps he means no; when he says no he is no diplomat”.