Non-alignment movement (NAM)

 

 

Origin of NAM

NAM was originated by 25 nations(newly independent) at Belgrade conference. India was among the founding member of NAM. The root of NAM went back to the friendship between three leaders-Yugoslavia's Joship Broz Tito. India's Jawaharlal Nehru and Egypt's leader gamel Abdel Nasser came together to held a meeting in 1956. Indonesia's Sukarno and Ghana's Kawame Nkrumah came to strongly supported this policy. Hence these five leaders known as the founding father of NAM. The first non-alignment summit was held in Belgrade in 1961. The first summit was attended by 25 members states. With the passage of time NAM membership expanded including countries of different political system and interest. At present NAM have 120 member countries and 17 observer countries. There are various causes that can be said as emerging factor for promoting the existence of NAM. The various causes of NAM can be divided into positive and negative aspects.

Major causes for formation of NAM

NAM existence can be called the contribution of many positive and negative aspect arising at that time in the international politics. The various major causes that led to formation of NAM are as follows-

1. Nationalist feeling-The newly decolonized nation was deeply enriched with the feeling of the nationalism and at that point of time was not willing to compromise at any stage with its freedom and henceforth this nationalist feeling and love for one's nation paved a path for the formation of policy that secure integrity and sovereignty of these small countries. In this context NAM fulfilled the desired requirement and came into existence.
2. Economic development-After the country been decolonized its foremost object is to attain economic development so same with these countries at that time, they tries and focus on economic development. And if they join any of the power block the economic condition of those countries would further get weaker. So NAM as non-alignment policy was most desirable to secure the economic development.
3. Cultural and racial aspects-The newly independent countries shares the common cultural and racial aspects. So to preserve and promote their cultural and racial aspects they came together and unite in form of NAM. They found that they have common problems regarding polity, economic and social system which could be discuss for all member nation country to bring development in those newly underdeveloped countries.
4. End of second world war-With the end of cold war the political environment of the world turning more hostile and unfriendly and cold war came into existence. The world was divided into two power blocks both seeking and attaining its own goal and tried to increase its alliance and support from small and less powerful countries. So to avoid this system of alliance newly freedom attained countries opted for NAM as policy of non-alignment.
5. Military alliance-When NAM came into existence it was the time when cold war was at its apex. And military alliance was the key feature of the two power block. They tried to add more and small countries to them, so to avoid this military alliance new decolonized nation opted for policy of NAM as with military alliance their economic and political stability cannot be attained.
6. Fear of colonialism and imperialism-There was deep seated fear in all the newly decolonized nation that in future they might not get under any powerful nation as colonies for them. So this fear make them unite together and ask for their protection of integrity and sovereignty of nation, freedom to follow its own foreign policy and they looked upon NAM as best policy for their need and NAM came into existence.

Qualification required to become member of NAM

When NAM was formed certain qualification was laid down by founding members for the new nation who wanted to join NAM The various qualification of NAM are as follows-

• Having independent foreign policy.
• Having sovereign state.
• Peace loving country.
• Not aligned with any power blocks.
• Mutual respect for every nation's sovereignty and territory.
• Non-interference in domestic affairs.
• Avoidance of aggression.
• Promote equality, co-operation and benefit for all nation.

Relevance of NAM

NAM founded during the height of Soviet-Us confrontation in the mid 1950's. Its political bearing has diminished in the post-cold war environment with the disintegration of USSR but NAM is still relevant in today's international environment.

Now the present world scenario is in a slow but steady pace. Uni-polar is slowly shifting to multi-polar world. And eager to look into matter of global economic issues. Even G8 realized that they cannot withstand without developing nations in this phase of acute crisis. So NAM an non-aligned system can play a big role in controlling and changing the present international environment. With the passage of time NAM emerged as a political personality of its own. It survived the cold war and out-living it. The relevance of NAM can be traced from the following points-

1. Preservation of the world peace-NAM after so many years of foundation it still abide by its founding principles, idea and purpose i.e. to establish peaceful and prosperous world. It promoted disarmament and even prohibited invasion of any country, henceforth creation a sovereign world order.
2. Preservation of territorial integrity and sovereignty-Nam proved its repeated relevance with the ideal of preserving independence of every nation. This policy will survive long lasting till the time sovereign nation state exists irrespective of any periodical, marginal changes, in the existing system all over the world. It has repeated relevance in every stage till the concept of international relation exists. So weather world is uni-polar, multi-polar or bi-polar NAM as policy will grow stronger.
3. Platform of Third World nations-Third world countries fighting against sociological- economical problems since they have been exploited for long time by other developed nation, after end of colonization their new motives is to look forward for development. In this situation NAM acted as a protector for these new formed small countries against the western hegemony. Not only this it empowers the member states to take its own decisions without any external influence.
4. Support of UN-NAM total strength compromises of 118 developing countries and most of them being member of UN general assembly. IT represents 2/3 members of general assembly hence NAM members act as important vote blocking group in UN.
5. Promoting equitable world order-NAM promotes equitable world order. It specifies same ideal foreign policy for all nation. It act as bridge between political difference existing in the international environment. It arose as consensual policy on burning topic of current world politics to which the vast majority of nation could subscribe.
6. Check on big power ambitions-NAM constitute of 120 developing nation and this overwhelming strength of this third world nation act as a check on big power ambitions. It stood as a unifying force against the traditional foreign policy of great powers and strictly restricts imperialism, nationalism and universal-ism.
7. Base of South-South co-operation-NAM act as catalyst to foster the co-operation between south -south nation. It raises issues that is of major concern for the south countries. It initiate economic, political and social development corners to achieve the desired result of moving from developing to developed nations.
8. Integral part of foreign policy-NAM as foreign policy is very much relevant till today even after the disintegration of USSR. Many developing nation including India still follows NAM policy as its major international and foreign policy tool. The policy to avoid colonization and imperialism continues to remain valid for all small and developing countries.
9. Peaceful settlement of International disputes-NAM since its foundation act as platform that protects the interest of developing countries. It protect it from the huge and influential power in the international sphere, so if disputes arises between developed and developing nation at any point of concerned topic then NAM act as platform which negotiate and conclude disputes peacefully securing the favorable decisions for each member nation.
10. Alternative world power-NAM with passage of time emerged as the alternative world power. With its strength and its motive to democratize the international system proved its qualification as alternative world order which would promote equality and peace all over the world and even provide new dynamics to the existing world's politics.
11. Voice of developing nations-NAM is emerging as majority day by day, each year its strength increases which act as a force and give its members to put their point on international issues. For example-NAM recently challenges the Ban-ki-moon decisions on srilanka panel plausible.
12. Integral component of north-south co-operation-NAM act as a unifying force representing developing countries interest. Hence it plays an important role in north-south dialogue on different issues and accomplishment of different goals for betterment of the world.
13. Criticism of US policy-NAM played active role in criticizing the US policy on various events. US action such as invasion of Iraq and the war on terrorism, Iran and North Korea's nuclear plant have been attempted to stifle by US have been brought to notice by NAM as violation of human right and committing roughshod means to denounce the sovereignty of smaller nations.
14. Self determination of Puerto Rico-Puerto Rico self determination case have been supported By NAM since 1961 by discussing it before United Nation.
15. Self determination for Western Sahara-NAM like with the case of Puerto Rico supported for self determination of Western Sahara before United Nation since 1973. It in 2009 reminded United Nation once again on the case of self determination of Western Sahara.
16. Cultural diversity and human rights-NAM is said to be the protector of human rights and propagated the existence of cultural diversity. They even promoted societal-cultural concept and the tolerance of religion. NAM always remain active to secure the human right of every nation and if found it being violated it stand for its protection.
17. Sustainable development-NAM supported the concept of sustainable development. They even determine what are the factors which hinders the development and discuss it at large where ever get the platform including United Nations.

Conclusion

Hence relevance of NAM is well justified from all the above mentioned points. NAM since its formation always abide to its principle and purpose to attain peace and to keep itself non-aligned to any power blocks. The success of NAM can be well traced from its ever growing membership each year. Even after the end of cold war the membership drastically increased and it’s still increasing at a rapid speed justifying its perpetual relevance in the present international environment. Further NAM as policy of weak and small state will continue to remain valid as long as there is concept of sovereign nation states and perpetual war for power. NAM propagated the concept of sovereign states based on independence and equality will continue forever irrespective of existence of bipolar, uni-polar or multi-polar world system. NAM nature and scope changed but its relevance thrives to the height of success in the contemporary world. In-fact its relevance is being more prominent than ever before, in present scenario NAM nature is more inclined towards economic relevance than political relevance. Hence NAM in the present time is well embedded in in the international politics, its role has vital impact and it emerged as powerful creed which is more powerful than the two power block put together at that time.