Concept, origin and development of diplomacy

Abstract

The article deals with the problems of origin and the first stage of development of diplomacy. Mentioning various approaches, the author identifies 8 possible definitions of diplomacy, noting that how it will be understood depends on the context. Then interesting points are presented related to the emergence and development of diplomacy in the distant past, with a special overview of special diplomatic missions, diplomatic correspondence, the first permanent diplomatic missions, other forms of diplomatic and quasi-diplomatic relations, laws (internal legal acts of the countries of the Ancient World), diplomatic privileges and immunities. This is followed by a brief overview of the further development of diplomacy and diplomatic law. The author believes that today there is much evidence that profound changes are coming both in the existing concept of diplomacy and in international diplomatic law. Some of the reasons are that the processes of globalization, regionalization and integration are increasingly active on the international scene; the sovereignty of states is weakening; the range of types of international cooperation is expanding, which is carried out in other ways, and not through states; the role of international organizations is being strengthened; the importance of permanent diplomatic missions is also decreasing because many issues, especially the most important ones, are resolved in other ways, since the development of means of transport and technology has allowed heads of state to quickly meet at summits, as well as to increasingly use bilateral and multilateral meetings via Internet video communications; the number and importance of non-state actors in international relations and international law, in particular such as transnational companies, is constantly increasing; etc.