Why do International Organizations Exist?
-
- 31 March 2020
The main purpose of international organizations should be to provide fair solutions to problems that exceed the power and ability of states and to serve common interests
States have tended to establish trade / economic unity in order to keep the national-international economy alive in the growing and globalizing world especially after World War II. In our article we will try to convey the functions of international organizations, it will be useful to draw a clear framework in the minds in order to discuss the establishment purposes of these organizations and their current roles.
FIRST EXAMPLES OF GLOBALIZATION IN GROWTH POLICIES
The changing world balances after World War II and the search for economic prosperity have increased the globalization movements especially in the foreign economic growth policies of the United States of America (USA). In this sense, the first steps taken on the path of globalization, the General Agreement on Tariffs Trade (GATT) and the Bretton Woods system, were put into practice in order to liberalize world trade. On the other hand, the barriers to capital movements on a global scale began to disappear in the 1980s.
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WERE ESTABLISHED TO EQUALIZE COMPETITION
Trade, production, capital movements and developments in science and technology have increased the competition between countries and brought trade liberalization. However, in the 1980s, conditions between countries and regions started to become unequal with the impact of global capital holders who wanted to get a higher share from the current system. However, as a result of the necessity of sustaining competition under equal conditions and supporting economic activities carried out in local / regional areas that would bene t all the world states, organizations such as IMF (International Monetary Fund), World Bank, WTO (World Trade Organization), UN (United Nations), EU (European Union) and NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) were put on the agenda. Subsequently, new definitions were introduced to the concept of region and significant steps were taken in the direction of “regional development” or ”activating regional dynamics in development”. Being included in the world economy under these circumstances, Turkey started to implement compliance programs determined by the international institutions to ensure a full integration with global markets.
THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ORGANIZATIONS ARE NOT ONLY FOCUSED ON ECONOMY
The international formations we are talking about are not limited to the eld of economy; in time they continued to be established also for health, defense and political purposes. On the basis of the common interests of nations in the establishment of such organizations in general, organizations were established to serve common interests and generate solutions for problems such as security, economy, social reasons, increasing common problems, environmental problems, education, terrorism, democratization related problems, human rights, international law and globalization.
TURKEY AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
The international system in our age is not composed merely of states. Especially with the developments in the eld of technology and informatics, the extraordinary level of international relations has enabled these organizations to become the main actors in the international system and to direct affairs between states. These organizations are also of great importance in terms of Turkey. Recognizing this importance, our country took part as a founding member in some of the organizational processes of the international organizations that emerged in the post-World War II period, and later became a member of some of them and undertook duties in the integration initiatives of some organizations as a member or associate member.
THE FUNDAMENTAL AIM MUST SERVE COMMON INTERESTS
On the other hand, the increase in the influence of these institutions in the international system has narrowed the role of the nation-states in the system. As it is known, the foundation of the current international system is still composed of nation-states. Furthermore, the impact of the member states on international organizations is not the same. Strong states have a higher level of influence over the international organizations to which they are members than other members. However, the use of this advantage to the detriment of the other states in a way that disrupts the balance of interests jeopardizes world peace and undermines the principles of competition. Therefore, organizations that have a high level of influence on states should not be seen as alternatives to countries; the fundamental function of the organizations must be to provide fair solutions to problems that exceed the power and ability of states and to serve common interests. Consequently, in order to serve the purpose of establishment of international organizations, member countries must remain free from pressure and manipulation.
Elmadağ Attorneys and Counselors Atty. Dr. Ramazan Arıtürk – Atty. Güniz Çiçek