The question of how Britain defines its ‘national interest’ is one which needs to be answered by every generation.
Rapid shifts of economic and political power are currently re-shaping the world, particularly in regard to the rise of China and India. This presents profound challenges to the question of how we should understand the concept of Britain’s national interest at the end of the first decade of the twenty first century.
Britain’s ‘national interest’ can no longer be defined in the hierarchical terms which drove the great power politics of the last century. While Britain’s relationship with the U.S. on the one hand and Europe on the other will remain important to the country’s foreign policy, it cannot be defined by the terms of these relationships. Britain’s national interest needs to be defined in a much wider context.
Our national interest needs to be defined by the realities of Britain’s economic interests in this world where economic power is shifting from west to east. We need to ensure that we develop deep and reciprocal relationships with countries which are emerging as the key players in the future. Both economic and political ties must be strengthened with countries like Brazil, Nigeria, China and India and others.
Our view of the world needs to be characterised less by a conception of it as a hierarchy of nations with the U.S. at the apex; but more as network of peer relationships where Britain negotiates and influences at many different levels simultaneously. This will allow us to use our strengths, capabilities and influence to maximise our relationships in a world which will look very different from that which was the case even a decade ago.
Britain’s traditions, history and language make us well placed to take advantage of the opportunities that will arise in this peer to peer world. We must not lose sight of these great strengths; but all the time we need to be taking the longer term approach.
( 6 comments ) Tags: Brazil, China, foreign policy, India
Comment by Ray Turner on October 17, 2010 at 8:14 pm
Why does national interest, as discussed in this posting, always seem to think outwardly, towards other nations and international affairs…?
Don’t we need to look inwardly at ourselves too..?
OK, we’re trying to sort out the terrifying national debt, which is good. The coalition is biting the bullet and getting stuck into the task. Well done.
But isn’t it also in our national interest to start manufacturing a lot more than we currently do…?
And isn’t it also in our national interest to stop the population of these isles spiralling exponentially upwards….?
Comment by Heston CDA on October 18, 2010 at 11:17 am
Dear James Morris,
Over all cosevratives are truly getting on with things as they should, well done. However, on this particular blog, we do tend to agree more with Ray Turner’s response than your article. Ray makes very significant comments, not to be underestimated, particularly – ‘outward vs INWARD’ and ‘poulation of our SMALL island’. Whilst National Interest is linked to International relationships and foriegn policy…National Interest in a true democracy surely starts at home for the people, by the people and with the people. If the invitation to British people to ‘Join the Government’ still stands then the Government needs to realise that the concept of ‘joining’ is a two way street. The British people have been let down for far too long and it is those British people that need the governments attention first and foremost.
Best Regards, Heston CDA
Comment by Roseann Connolly on October 19, 2010 at 6:28 am
I like the upbeat and optimistic tone of James Moris’s blog and also the advocasy of partnership working with Britain as an adroit ‘influencer’.
I agree with Ray Turner that the government’s gaze also needs to be directed inwards. I fear that unless substantial resources are put into developing the social capital of deprived and depressed areas the gap between the rich and the poor – the somewhat complacent and increasingly desperate – that gap not just in financial resource but in social capital will play havoc with the Big Society Agenda.
The substantial investment in the education of deprived children was a very welcome announcement.
Comment by Malcolm on October 25, 2010 at 3:09 pm
Get the Millionaire politicians to reduce thier pension pots then see what reaction we would have to that
Comment by Roderick V. Louis on October 28, 2010 at 11:03 am
The below 2 linked-to articles- & translated excerpts- from a prominent French language naval web sight suggest pretty unequivocally that the recent decimating (scheduled decimating) of the UK’s Royal Navy- as a consequence of the UK’s Strategic Defence & Security Review (SDSR)- was done with backroom coordination between UK bureaucrats & France…
… with the objective of “manufacturing” a crisis of a lack of warships- & in particular AIRCRAFT CARRIERS- for the UK ‘that can only be fixed by amalgamation’- or something pretty close to it- of the UK’s Royal Navy with the French navy…
1) “Aircraft Carriers: (France Defence Minister) Herve Morin calls for cooperation with the British”, 27_10-2010:
http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=114397 (requires translation):
“With the approach of the Franco-British summit, to be held November 02-2010, (France’s) defense minister called for a strengthening of cooperation between UK & France naval battle groups.
“… The head of France’s Navy goes even further by introducing (France’s PA2) aircraft carrier as the tool par excellence of political & military power.
“‘If we want the EU to exist, it must have as many aircraft carriers as the Americans…
“‘It should therefore be a dozen, as against only one (CDG) today…’”
2) “Aircraft carriers: London sends the signal that Paris expected”, 21_10-2010:
http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=114332 (requires translation) :
“Tuesday (October 20-2010), the British strategic defence & security review (SDSR) decisions paved the way for possible new cooperation between France & Great Britain on aircraft carriers.
“In Paris, the signal was expected.
“France is, in fact, mired for years in its proposed second (PA2) aircraft carrier project, that, if built, is intended to compensate for the downtime associated with maintenance of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier…
“In this sense, in the higher echelons of France’s navy cooperation with the British is seen as an opportunity.
“Adapting the UK’s planned future aircraft carrier (CVF) for the catapult & English strands arrest will, indeed, make it possible to deploy France’s Rafale fighter/bomber on the UK’s CVFs…
“Can we (France) go further in cooperation with the British?
“Paris & London seem, at least, firmly resolved to strengthen their defense ties. As such, the next Franco-British summit (November 02-2010) should lead to a number of decisions & come up with new cooperation.
“Reports speak well of a possible partnership in the modernization of the UK’s Trident 2 D-5 ballistic missile nuclear warheads which the UK’s SSBNs are armed with.
“And then there is the issue of aircraft carriers:
“London has, in fact, announced that one of the two Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers is for sale.
“Can we- France- in these circumstances, imagine that France can acquire it?
“Technically, the operation is not too problematic since the UK’s CVF designs have taken into account certain French operational requirements due to France’s participation in the UK’s CVF project between 2006 & 2008 (at the time France wanted to use the largely British design for its PA2).
“The proof is in fact the CVF carriers may, without too much difficulty integrate the catapults (bought from the U.S.) that were planned for their French cousin- the PA2, whose construction was postponed in 2008…”
THE NOV. 02-2010 UK/FRANCE DEFENCE ISSUES SUMMIT was recently abruptly moved from the Royal Navy’s Portsmouth UK base to London… reportedly to avoid possible conflicts & protests at Portsmouth due to recent UK govt SDSR decisions…
3) “Navy backlash scares off PM”, 27_10-2010:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/10/27/navy-backlash-scares-off-pm-115875-22661107/
“The Prime Minister was due to meet French president Nicolas Sarkozy for a summit in Portsmouth next Tuesday.
“But the venue has been changed from the home of Ark Royal to avoid potentially embarrassing scenes… ”
4) “U.K., France Team Up Amid Cuts”, 25_10-2010:
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4965015&c=FEA&s=CVS :
“On Nov. 2, the Royal Navy base at Portsmouth will play host to an Anglo-French summit whose primary focus will be joining forces to preserve military capabilities & industrial skills… ”
============
UK Royal Navy’s SDSR-ordered decimation: being done to intellectually dishonestly ‘justify’ the UK’s subsumation into an EU ‘Superstate’- starting with a merged UK/France naval force??
________________
Roderick V. Louis,
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Comment by Stephen Ford on October 29, 2010 at 9:48 am
Please could you explain what the strengths, capabilities and influence of Britain are now?In my lifetime the strength and capability of our once great country have been destroyed by the unions and governements of the seventies and consequently sold off to the highest bidder by the succession of governments to succeed them, leaving the UK with very little influence at all! The current government seems hell bent on giving away what we have left. By the way, I voted for this government but am quickly becoming completely dis-alussioned by disconnected people like you