The power of non-alignment (Time to resurrect the NAM to balance the big powers)

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The power of non-alignment (Time to resurrect the NAM to balance the big powers)

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• The background: The Bandung Afro-Asian Conference 1955 and the subsequent NAM was a great way for weaker states’ attempt at balancing relations between great powers engaged in huge conflicts and rivalry.
• The four leaders: India, Indonesia, Yugoslavia and Egypt led the movement, and tried to ensure that the world does not slide into another disastrous war. To some extent, Gorbachev’s arrival ensured that NAM’s goals were met!
• Withering away of NAM: Sadly, through the 1960s and 70s, many members started building coalitions with super-powers to fight neighbouring nations. No proper analysis was done for this, and the West simply branded NAM a failure. This is similar to how casteist, hierarchical societies respond to subaltern movements.  
• What do superpowers expect? In the hugely hierarchical international system, the big powers expect smaller ones to meekly fall in line. But NAM was against this norm.
• Third World War seemed real: As the two blocs – US and Soviet – went into an arms race, WW III seemed real. The NAM tried to delegitimise this threat, by activism at the UN and on forums like the Eighteen Nation Committee on Disarmament (ENCD). They named and shamed the perpetrators of warmongering.
• Achievements of NAM activism : 
1. Decolonisation – The UN declared it as a goal in 1960s 
2. 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty PTBT – Activism against nuclear weapons
3. Gorbachev adopting many of the policy positions that NAM espoused

• The same era, once again: We witness the same arms race yet again today across oceans. So, another round of NAM-style activism may be needed. That cushioning against imperialism is needed, otherwise the arms race may simply degrade into another cold war / hot war. Balancing of China – Russia – US needs to be done by others.
• South China Sea: Another huge military conflict is likely, like it happened with Germany and UK (1900s) or Japan and US (1920s/1930s). Nuclear weapons are no guarantee of no-conflict, as seen in Ussuri conflict 1969, or Kargil War 1999.   CONCEPT
• Who will take the lead: India and China will not, as both have great ambitions. So other nations, many tied down by China’s BRI, will need to come together and build a consensus around NAM-style activism.
• Summary : The rapid escalation in superpower rivalry reminds us of the need for a second round of NAM-style activism to contain an uncontrolled global war.

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