Multilateralism
An approach to international relations in which multiple countries coordinate policy, make decisions collectively, and operate through shared institutions.
Explanation
Multilateralism describes governance through international institutions and agreements involving many states, as opposed to unilateral action or bilateral deals. Post-WWII multilateralism produced the UN, NATO, the World Bank, IMF, GATT/WTO, and dozens of other institutions. Multilateral institutions allow states to cooperate on collective action problems (climate, trade, health) that no state can solve alone, provide dispute resolution mechanisms, and embed norms of behavior. Critics from the left argue multilateral institutions serve powerful states' interests; critics from the right argue they undermine national sovereignty. The post-2016 period saw significant challenges to the multilateral order, with the U.S. withdrawing from or renegotiating multilateral agreements.
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