Do you think the Institutions of the ‘old’ Diplomacy Have Any Contemporary Relevance?
Tracing origins of diplomacy is a difficult task and different people have different opinion on this issue. Some find diplomacy existing since time immemorial while others relate it with ancient Greece and many other believe that diplomacy emerged in Italy where embassies were established first of all. However diplomacy has evolved over a period of time and it has been changed substantially since its earliest forms. There were diplomatic institutions in the earlier times, and like earlier times these institutions exist in recent times. Some people divide diplomacy into old and new diplomacy and while doing so they forget that the diplomacy, that they address as new diplomacy, has its foundations in the old diplomacy (Gillespie and Webb, 2013).
Once the debate of old and new diplomacy started in the era of post world war I, a question arose whether institutions of older diplomacy are still relevant for the new diplomacy. This question can be answered once it is clear that what the structure of old diplomacy was. The structure of new diplomacy is not much different from the old diplomacy. Governments and states are as relevant in new diplomacy as they were in old diplomacy. Evidences suggest that embassies existed in ancient times and they were part of old diplomacy. The importance of embassies is still not reduced (Weisbrode, 2014). Various other diplomatic institutions of old diplomacy exist and function in new diplomacy as it used to exist and function in ancient times. Functioning of new diplomatic institutions is also almost same and if there is any change, it is due to new developments and circumstances.
http://www.broswaypress.com/en/tag/brosway-in-paris
Diplomacy is one of the most significant parts of diplomacy and it existed in old diplomacy as exists in new diplomacy. Communication and dialogue with other states is an important part of the new diplomacy as it used to be in the old diplomacy. States, in ancient times, believed in positive relations with other countries and usually they co-operate each other instead of fighting unnecessarily. Old diplomacy also believed in making good relations with other states and not in fighting. We find first glimpse of diplomatic relations in the fourteenth century when Italy established its embassies in other European states and a new trend of establishing embassy emerged. Establishing embassies in other states was one of the wisest steps that is still practiced by almost all countries in new diplomacy. Such steps ensure good and positive relations with other countries.
http://ediplomacy.tumblr.com/
Having observed the abovementioned common features of old and new diplomacy, it can be ascertained that democratic institutions of old diplomacy are still very important for the new diplomacy. All these institutions are fundamental requirements of any diplomacy and time cannot reduce their relevance. It is true that globalization, as well as, developments in science and communication technology have affected the institutions of old diplomacy, but these institutions are still relevant as they were in old times. In fact, these developments in various sectors have sharpened these institutions and made them more effective (Schultz, 2001). These diplomatic institutions are the beneficiaries of new developments and they serve democratic establishments in more effective way than older times. These diplomatic institutions have succeeded in proving their relevance due to their importance in nurturing the diplomacy over a period of time.
References
Anon., 2014. Diplomacy & Beyonnd. [Online] Available at: http://ediplomacy.tumblr.com/[Accessed 28 November 2014].
Brosway, 2012. Brosway: When Fashion "Sheds Its Skin" in Paris. [Online] Available at: http://www.broswaypress.com/en/tag/brosway-in-paris[Accessed 28 November 2014].
Gillespie, M., and Webb, A. , 2013. Diasporas and Diplomacy: Cosmopolitan Contact Zones at the BBC World Service (1932-2012). Print ed. New York: Routledge.
Schultz, K. A., 2001. Democracy and Coercive Diplomacy. 1st ed. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Weisbrode, K., 2014. Old Diplomacy Revisited. Print ed. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
