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Unilateralism, ("one+side-ism") is any doctrine or agenda that supports one-sided action. Such action may be in disregard for other parties, or as an expression of a commitment toward a direction which other parties may find agreeable. Unilateralism is a neologism, (used in all countries) coined to be an antonym for multilateralism —the doctrine which asserts the benefits of participation from as many parties as possible. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wiktionary (a portmanteau of wiki and dictionary) is a multilingual, Web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in over 150 languages. ... The English suffix -ism was first used to form a noun of action from a verb. ... A neologism is a word, term, or phrase which has been recently created (or coined), often to apply to new concepts, to synthesize pre-existing concepts, or to make older terminology sound more contemporary. ... Look up Antonym in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Multilateralism is an international relations term that refers to multiple countries working in concert. ...

The two terms together can refer to differences in foreign policy approached to international problems. When agreement by multiple parties is absolutely required —for example in the context of international trade policies —bilateral agreements (involving two participants at a time) are usually preferred by proponents of unilateralism. A countrys foreign policy is a set of political goals that seeks to outline how that particular country will interact with other countries of the world and, to a lesser extent, non-state actors. ... It has been suggested that Commerce be merged into this article or section. ... Bilateralism is a term referring to trade or political relations between two states. ...

Unilateralism may be preferred in those instances when it's assumed to be the most efficient, i.e., in issues that can be solved without cooperation. However, a government may also have a principal preference for unilateralism or multilateralism, and, for instance, strive to avoid policies that cannot be realized unilaterally or alternatively to champion multilateral solutions to problems that could well have been solved unilaterally.

Typically, governments may argue that their ultimate or middle-term goals are served by a strengthening of multilateral schemes and institutions, as was many times the case during the period of the Concert of Europe. The Concert of Europe describes the broad cooperation between Europes great powers after 1815. ...

In the UK, the term "unilateralism" is often used in the specific sense of "[support for] unilateral nuclear disarmament".

Unilateralism in the United States

Unilateralism has had a long history in the United States. In his famous and influential Farewell Address, George Washington warned that the United States should "steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world". Many years later, this approach was labeled (by its opponents) as "isolationism", but some historians of U.S. diplomacy have long argued that "isolationism" is a misnomer, and that U.S. foreign policy, beginning with Washington, has traditionally been driven by unilateralism. Recent works that have made this argument include Walter A. McDougall's Promised Land, Crusader State (1997) and John Lewis Gaddis's Surprise, Security, and the American Experience (2004). George Washington in 1795. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and in 1789 was elected the first President of the United States of America. ... Protest march to prevent American involvement in WWII. Isolationism, the diplomatic policy whereby a nation seeks to avoid alliances with other nations, has had, according to some, a long history in the United States. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... President George W. Bush and Laura Bush stand with 2005 National Humanities Medal recipient John Lewis Gaddis. ...

Debates about unilateralism recently came to the forefront with the Iraq War. While over 30 countries have supported the U.S. policy, some previous American allies, such as France, Germany and Turkey, are not participating. Many opponents of the war have argued that the United States is "going in alone" in Iraq without the support of multilateral institutions--in this case NATO and the United Nations. For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... This article is about the military alliance. ... UN and U.N. redirect here. ...

Advocates of U.S. unilateralism argue that other countries should not have "veto power" over matters of U.S. national security. Presidential Candidate John Kerry received heavy political heat after saying, during a presidential debate, that American national security actions must pass a "global test". This was interpreted by Kerry opponents as a proposal to submit U.S. foreign policy to approval by other countries. Proponents of U.S. unilateralism generally believe that a multilateral institution, such as the United Nations, is morally suspect because, they argue, it treats non-democratic, and even despotic, regimes as being as legitimate as democratic countries. Proponents also point out that the unilateralist policy of having the United States control post World War II Japan was more of a success than having multilateral policies such as those used in post war Germany. Japan only took 5 years before adopting their constitution while Germany was divided into West Germany and East Germany for 45 years and being controlled by the United States, France, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union before being reunited. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts, in his fourth term of office. ... Senator John F. Kennedy debates Vice President Richard M. Nixon in the first televised debates, 1960. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... This article is about the state which existed from 1949 to 1990. ...

Critics of American unilateralism point to the ethical implications of engaging in armed conflicts that may inevitably draw in combatants from other nations, as well as the undermining of the international ability to protect small nations from aggressors. Unilateralism, it is argued, can be considered nothing more than a positively-sold version of the very actions that would earn other states the title of aggressor or rogue nation. Opponents of unilateralism say it rejects the essential interwoven nature of modern global politics and perhaps underestimates the extent to which a conflict in one country can affect civilians in others. A rogue state, in the most general sense, is a state that abides neither by international law nor international standards of proper governance and behavior. ...

Proponents of multilateralism argue that it would provide a country with greater resources, both militarily and economically, and would help in defraying the cost of military action. However, with divided responsibility inevitably comes divided authority, and thus (in theory at least) slower military reaction times and the demand that troops follow commanders from other nations. Multilateralists argue that co-operations strengthens the bonds between nations and peoples, paints the U.S. in a more responsible and respected light, and reduces the risk of wildfire conflicts by increasing the size and unity of the enemy such a rogue nation would face:) Multilateralism is an international relations term that refers to multiple countries working in concert. ...