Adapting Foreign Policy-Making to Interdependence: A Proposal and Some Evidence from Norway

Abstract

This article proposes a framework for analyzing the adaptation of foreign policy-making to interdependence. It represents an early effort at laying the groundwork for a comparative, cross-national study of the Nordic countries. Aspects of adaptation by the Nordic countries to interdependence are dimensionalized under two headings: (1) resources, and (2) control and coordination of foreign policy. Some findings from a preliminary study of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry are reported. The growth in both missions overseas and bureaus in the Ministry has generally reflected the anticipated effects of interdependence — new and strengthened missions to cover geographic regions where traditional interest had been slight, establishment of delegations to deal with multilateral diplomacy, and growth in the resources available for dealing with 'global problems', such as Third World development, the North-South dialogue, and energy questions. On the other hand, the study reveals a lack of institutional or organizational responses to the presumed loss of control and coordination over foreign policy.