Posted by Chester Morton / Sunday, 19 February 2017 / No comments
The advantages of the non-aligned movement
ADVANTAGES OF THE NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT
Introduction
The Non-Aligned Movement refers to a group of countries who
have decided not to openly side with the eastern nor the western bloc when it
comes to international geopolitics. In other words, members of this
international organization believe that no developing country has any business
in assisting any of the super powers in the Cold War. Membership is drawn from
the less developed countries of Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and
Europe.
The Movement started in Belgrade in 1961 with the Presidents
of Yugoslavia, India, Egypt and Ghana at the time. Initially, the Movement started
with twenty-five members but currently, there are one hundred and twenty member
states and fifteen observer nations.
ADVANTAGES
Promotion of world peace
One of the advantages of the Non-Aligned Movement is the
contribution it makes to world peace. If the members of this Movement had taken
sides in the Cold War between the Eastern and the Western bloc, the war would
have been more deepened than it had been. For the kind of positive neutrality
that the Movement exhibited, the world has become a more peaceful place to live
in.
Prevent division of the world into two
Another advantage of the Movement is the fact by its
formation it prevented the world from being divided into two water-tight
groups, the eastern and the western bloc. The members of the Non-Aligned
Movement chose not to support any side of the divide and that created a third
group to water down any hard line position of any of the two blocs.
Settlement of disputes
In addition to the advantages above, the movement has
contributed to the settlement of various kinds of disputes. This included
disputes of local and international proportion.
Freedom to pursue own agenda
Another advantage is the fact that the members of the
Movement have the opportunity to pursue any economic, political, cultural and social
goals of their choice. They do not expect any form of interference from any
quarters especially from any of the two world powers, the United States of
America and Russia.
Promotion of sovereign equality
Also the movement believes that each country is a sovereign
and independent state and as such must be accorded that status regardless of
the size of that country. In another sense, no other country must use its muzzles
to bully any other country just because it does not have the power and the
resources to defend itself. In the other words, the countries of the world must
be put on an even keel.
Promotion of fairness in world trade
The movement promotes fairness in international trade. It
abhors the situation where the major countries of the world buy raw materials
cheaply from producer countries only to convert them into finished goods and
sell back to the developed world at cut throat prices. It tries to narrow the
economic gap between the developed and the developing countries of the world.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1. a. What Non-Aligned Movement? (2 marks)
b. Highlight six
advantages of the non-Aligned Movement. (10 marks)
