Realpolitik vs. Human Dignity
As the world is moving from multilateralism to bilateral realpolitik, the importance of human dignity seems to diminish. As a young generation, bound to inherit the politics of today, we need to find new ways to engage rather than to disconnect from current global politics and affairs.
Sudden events change the course of history. Hamas' terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 led to an escalation of the security situation on the Levant coast and a humanitarian crisis for the population in Gaza. The diplomatic "machinery" was immediately set in motion to campaign for the release of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas on the one hand and to protect the Palestinian civilian population from a humanitarian crisis on the other. In doing so, the European Commission tripled its humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip as an immediate humanitarian response and still supports Israel’s right to self-defence. While Israel and Hamas are at war, secret negotiations between Israel and Hamas, facilitated by mediators such as Qatar, Egypt and the United States, led to the release of some hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
How is it that political enemies nevertheless conclude pragmatic agreements with each other, as this is obviously in their mutual interest? How do arch-enemies continue to engage in indirect dialogue -retaining informal diplomatic ties- despite all conflicts of interest? Is international politics characterized by a double standard, or do political actors tend to operate in a field of tension between realpolitik and value-based action? This op-ed seeks answers to these seemingly contradicting phenomena: It ranges from the value-based world order to the current political world stage, reflections on Henry Kissinger's life's work and the personal responsibility of young people for the world of tomorrow.
Post-World War Two Order
“Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,“ begins the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed in 1948. In light of the atrocities of two World Wars the world community recognized the inherent human dignity and inalienable rights. The global trend towards natural law in the 1940s was also reflected in national primary law systems. In 1949 the German Basic Law was adopted beginning in its preamble with the words: “Conscious of their responsibility before God and man”. The reference to God in the German constitution refers to a natural law position emphasizing that “Human dignity shall be inviolable. To respect and protect it shall be the duty of all state authority.” (Art. 1(1) GG).
However, the daily application of the inalienable rights looks different and their recognition is contested. Former Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel declared in a government statement in 2014: “The law of the strongest is set against the strength of the law, one-sided geopolitical interests over understanding and cooperation.” In 2023, human dignity was under attack by so-called realpolitik and also against the background of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, due to migration flows, further strategic interests and not least because of Hamas' terrorist attack on Israel. Even though it seems unlikely that 2024 will bring fundamental change, the younger generations in particular are called upon to create a world order in which human dignity is paramount.
Political World Stage
The framework of the EU, G7, NATO, ASEAN, BRICS and G20 leads up to the UN General Assembly. In a series of successive international summits of various groups of states, geopolitical guidelines are set and alliances of states and communities of interest are forged. This construct is not static; alliance and conflict lines are constantly shifting.
As early as May 2023, the Western G7 countries defined joint positions in Hiroshima, Japan. In July, the NATO summit took place in Vilnius, Lithuania, on NATO's eastern flank. Almost simultaneously, the Southeast Asian ASEAN and other Pacific states met in Jakarta, Indonesia, for the East Asian Summit (EAS). In August, the heads of the BRICS states met in Johannesburg, South Africa, with a considerable round of expansion that even included the hostile Iran and Saudi Arabia in the group of states. This was followed in September by the G20 summit in New Delhi, India, which included the African Union, and the UN General Assembly in New York, which brings together its 193 member states. The UN Climate Change Conference COP28, which closes the circle of major summits in 2023, took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in November and December. Despite lengthy negotiations, the “phaseout” of oil, coal and gas could not be achieved at COP28.
The cycle of diplomatic talks from preparatory bodies to the highest level of heads of state and government continues uninterrupted. In January 2024, the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, resumes the discourse on the world of tomorrow; in February, the Munich Security Conference provides an occasion to address global security architecture. In addition, EU leaders define common positions at EU Summits in Brussels, which usually take place four times a year. Other formal and even more informal meetings provide opportunities for international understanding, setting the framework for the coexistence of states and people around the world.
Henry Kissinger’s Realpolitik
Henry Kissinger’s (1923 - 2023) decease caused global attention. He was both praised as US statesman and diplomat and condemned as a ruthless strategic mind pursuing interests in realpolitik-fashion. In the context of the People’s Republic of China President Xi Jinping’s condolence letter to US President Joe Biden, a Chinese government spokesperson stated: "Dr. Kissinger was a good old friend of the Chinese people. He is a pioneer and builder of Sino-U.S. relations".
How does a US foreign policy strategist come to be held in such high esteem by the competing superpower China? While the United States were paramount in creating the multilateral United Nations system in the aftermath of World War Two, they retained bilateral and informal ties to pursue their strategic interests. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kissinger did not bother long-lasting multilateral negotiations, but rather stroke bilateral deals, which also helped build Sino-US relations.
In contrast, the Europeans, who have learned their lesson from two World Wars, are sticking to a multilateral world order within the framework of the United Nations. Especially the EU, with Germany as its most populous member state accounting for one-fourth of the EU’s GDP, nowadays is -possibly one of the last- strongholds for multilateralism. Yet, the EU has adapted to the discontinued multilateral model and concluded bilateral free trade and investment agreements with Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, Kenya and more countries across the globe. Negotiations with India, Indonesia and others are ongoing. The EU is thus adapting its multilateral approach to a dynamic multipolar world order.
Value-Based Action
As earlier mentioned international summits bring representatives of states together. Despite being restricted by their roles and mandates, they are human beings having personal relationships. The person chairing has influence on the outcome of a global summit, like COP28 president Sultan Al Jaber. Regardless of the moral judgment on his life's work, Henry Kissinger is an excellent example of how to build international bridges through his charisma, because bilateral negotiations need interpersonal connections.
Therefore, creating personal connections to people from different cultures, continents and even competing political parties and systems is crucial to ensure bi- and multilateral consensus building. Especially, young adults play an important role in international understanding, as they can learn about and from their counterparts from other countries. By bringing their valuable experiences into their roles running their homeland’s government, economy or social sector, they will be able to create international understanding. But mere understanding is not enough. Value-based action is necessary!
Millennials -like myself-, Generations Z and Alpha cannot afford to become cynical and withdraw in the private sphere, like many did in the ramp of the First World War. We need to find solutions to make people peacefully coexist and cooperate on this earth. It is our task to remind political leaders of their responsibility before God and man. This is why initiatives like the Young Adults in Responsibility, the African and the Korean-European Young Leaders Initiative exist. They are platforms for fellowship in light of the Responsibility before God and man. In the knowledge that all human beings are equal, we seek dialogue with those, who make decisions now.
Some members of our generations will still be alive in the year 2100, hence we are called to steward the earth in this century. May we not only react to climate change, a pandemic, migration flows, wars and other uncontrollable events. Instead, let us and our peers steward the earth responsibly; may our generation be remembered not only for innovation and pragmatism but much more for compassion and peacebuilding!
