Be Mains Ready

Approach

• Describe international ethics.
• Bring out the reasons in difficulty in arriving at international ethics framework for all.
• Through critical analysis, show how international ethics framework for all can still be possible.
• Give a suitable way forward.

Introduction

• International ethics is an area of international relations theory which concerns the extent and scope of ethical obligations between countries.

Body

Challenges for international ethics for all in technologically dynamic globalized world

• National interest: Global ethicists attribute the failure to develop a global ethics to selfish national interest. According to them political drivers of state action at the domestic level are relentlessly local.
• Dynamism: The world is constantly changing. Today the rate of that change has become so rapid as to require development of new approaches and decisions which are consistent with the times. Further difference in development level makes uniform international ethics difficult for all.
• Diversification: Differences in cultures, nationalism, ethnic differences revives debate of ethical relativism as communities live in a morally pluralistic world each of which acts upon different principles.
• Possibility of conflicts: In a globalized world ethical systems, whether local or global, are also heavily competitive, since they are constantly bidding for adherents, seeking to hold on to doubters and to ward off attacks.

Possibility of International ethics

• Global Cooperation: In global era there is increasing cooperation between nations e.g. arriving at SDGs and Paris climate change deal giving hope about development of International ethic.
• Global challenges: Globalized world is throwing global challenges like global terrorism, climate change, global economic slowdown which needs global cooperation through agreed up on international ethical framework, absolute ‘national interest’ approach only escalates conflicts.
• Common interest: International ethics stresses on common interests between nations and build the international sphere on the basis of idealist values that are of common interests to nations participating in any international issues and problems enhancing possibility of their coming together. For instances, on issues like climate change, climate finance, terrorism, trade policies, refugee crisis there is an imminent need of global consensus based on ethical principles and human values.

Way forward

• International ethics require equality among nations and respect for their sovereignty.
• International ethics must enable all nations to participate more actively in shaping and building good international community to ensure sustaining peace, equity, welfare of all and consensus building through peaceful means on common issues.