NAM — A Beacon Light for the Third World Today

Abstract

For observers of international relations, the collapse of Berlin Wall, which led to the disintegration of Soviet Union and consequently the end of the cold war, heralded the ‘nirvana’ for the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). With the world turning unipolar (at least in the military sphere), the very name, they contend, is a contradiction in terms. Moreover, the three principles on which NAM was founded, viz. disarmament, development and autonomy in decision making, seem to have virtually collapsed. This camp also feels that in the present age of liberalisation globalisation and privatisation (LPG), the state of world is akin to a melting pot. Hence simplistic alliances, based on outdated concepts are redundant. Last but not the least, they allege that NAM members have displayed a lack of unity many a time. They have broken ranks in order to curry favours with the West. In sum, it has almost become a ‘fossil without fuel’. Hence, it should be consigned to the dustbin of history. However, the writer feels that, NAM as a movement as well as a foreign policy goal is alive and kicking. In this age of geo-economics, NAM continues to have its raison d'etre. It could play a pivotal role in pursuing the economic agenda of third world countries for a more equitable economic world order. Furthermore, in this Hobbesian world characterised by anarchy, it could act as a lynchpin to address issues of contemporary relevance like US' attempt to create a unipolar world, ‘global commons’, micro-security issues like ‘FUNTERNARSA’ factor, ‘neo-interventionism’, cultural imperialism, restructuring the UN, etc. NAM as a foreign policy goal of pursuing enlightened national interest, especially ‘freedom of thought and autonomy of action’ could not have been more relevant in a world order, bedevilled by US unilateralism today.