“Younger Brother” Status in Oriental Diplomatic History

Abstract

The article is devoted to research of “brotherhood” phenomenon in international relations. The meaning of the term “brotherhood” in diplomatic history of the Ancient East and medieval China is analyzed. Some “brotherhood” treaties are given. The author demonstrates with many examples that a family terminology (“father”, “son”, “grandfather”, “grandson”, “uncle”, “nephew”, “brother”) was often used in chronicles of many epochs and civilizations to determine the state status in the system of international relations and for a designation of various nuances of relations of a political dependence, vassalage and hegemony. Extrapolating experience of the history of Eastern diplomacy at the modern system of international relations, the author concludes that traditional slogans of Russian propaganda about “one nation” and “eternal brotherhood” of Russian and Ukrainian nations mean only the assertion of an inequality and dependence of Ukrainian state from the “elder brother”, the second-class status of Ukrainians as a nation, but not a feeling of a mutual affection and family ties.