The Non-aligned Movement

and the emergence of the Third World

De-colonization

As the Cold War began to polarize the world, many of the major European powers of the 19th and early 20th centuries began to focus on domestic issues, as foreign affairs were dominated by the U.S. and the Soviets.

Many states in the Middle East, Asia and Africa attained independent status and sought to develop a national identity, while protecting themselves from what seemed to be an inevitable envelopment into the spheres of one of the two superpowers.

The “5 Pillars”

In 1954, Indian PM Nehru made a famous speech in Columbo, India discussing Sino-Indian relations

He stated 5 pillars that should guide relations between the two nations

Respect for territorial integrity

Mutual non-aggression

Mutual non-interference in domestic affairs

Equality and mutual benefit

Peaceful co-existence

These 5 pillars are established as the Panchscheel, or five principles of peaceful coexistence

Bandung• In 1955, 29 states from Asian and African countries representing more than half of the world’s population met in Bandung, Indonesia, hosted by PM Sukarno, to promote economic and cultural cooperation so that they could…

•attempt to stay out of the Cold War

•oppose colonialism

Bandung

Issues discussed:

France’s control in N. Africa

Conflict between Netherlands and Indonesia in New Guinea

Rights of Arab peoples in Palestine

Soviet control in E. Europe

N.B. Chinese PM Zhou Enlai played a major role as a sympathetic leader

Bandung

Bandung declaration condemned “colonialism in all of its manifestations”

It also called for the equitable redistribution of resources for the benefit of poorer states.

NAMAt the invitation of Josip Tito, the members of the Bandung Conference were invited to Belgrade, Yugoslavia in 1961, for a summit, where the Non-aligned Movement (NAM) was officially established.

Key individuals:

Sukarno – Indonesia

Gamal Abdul Nasser – Egypt

Jawaharlal Nehru – India

Kwame Nkrumah – Ghana

Josip Broz Tito - Yugoslavia Tito, Nasser and Nehru at summit meeting in 1956

NAM

Three major focal issues emerged from Belgrade:

In relation to the superpowers, the NAM seeks to find a “third way”

Protest against colonial rule in Africa and Asia

The establishment of a new economic order and how to equitably distribute resources around the world

This agenda was to be known as the “Initiative of Five,” named for the five key individuals

NAM

After the UN Conference on Trade and Development in Geneva in 1964, the “The Group of 77” was formed.

These non-aligned states attempted to exert some influence over global affairs in

The Korean War (1950-1953)

The Suez Crisis (1956)

The crisis in the Congo (1960)

The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan (1979)

The Falklands War (1982)

The Iran/Iraq War (1980-1984)

NAM

Since its founding, there have been over a dozen summits, member nations have swelled to well over 100.

It has been called “histories’ biggest peace movement”

It was recognized as a new “voice” in the world.

French historian, Alfred Sauvy, coined the term the “Third World” as representative of the non-aligned countries of the world, which he likened to the Third Estate prior to the French Revolution

Like the third estate, the Third World has nothing, and wants to be something. Sauvy in L’Observateur 1952

But…What impact does the Non-aligned Movement really have?

Challenges & Failures•Lacked economic and military apparatus to carry

out resolutions

•Many member states WERE aligned with one of the two superpowers (e.g. Cuba w/ U.S.S.R.),

usually the East

•There were many divisions within the NAM that stymied their progress

Challenges & Failures

In 1962, Sino-Indian border war breaks out

In 1963, PM Nehru dies

In 1970, Nasser dies

In 1979, Soviets invade Afghanistan

Successes & Impact

In 1979, Soviet Foreign Minister, Andrei Gromyko, argued against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan by stating, “All the non-aligned countries will be against us.”

The concept of North-South relations and the responsibility of richer countries towards the Third World (e.g. Brandt Report in 1980)

Current Dilemma

With the end of the Cold War, the term “Third World” is now obsolete.

In 1992, founding member Yugoslavia broke apart and was expelled from the movement.

A couple of members withdrew and joined the EU, with Belarus the only European member remaining

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Iran) is the current General Secretary!

So…

Current Focus

Resistance to a uni-polar world that controls the machinery of international politics and imposes its will *

Puerto Rican self-determination

Anti-Zionism

Sustainable development, debt relief & fair trade practices

UN reforms

South-South cooperation

Cultural diversity and human rights