This document discusses state egoism and multilateral diplomacy. It defines state egoism as countries acting in their own self-interest. While state egoism is the norm, multilateral diplomacy seeks to balance individual interests with global cooperation. Multilateral organizations like the UN aim to prevent conflicts through diplomacy rather than military force. Over time, increasing economic interdependence between countries through multilateral agreements can help curb state egoism and move towards more global cooperation, though this remains an ongoing process rather than an overnight change. The document argues multilateral diplomacy offers a promising approach for managing state interests in the international system.

1. State Egoism and Multilateral
Diplomacy
June 2015
Xiance Wang
Northeastern University

2. The Concept
• Ethical egoism is the normative ethical
position that moral agents ought to do what is
in their own self-interest. It differs from
psychological egoism, which claims that
people can only act in their self-interest.
• State Egoism and Realism in IR
（to be rational, to be self-dependent, to
survive)

3. The End Justifies?
• “The principle that the end justifies the means is
in individualist ethics regarded as the denial of all
morals. In collectivist ethics it becomes
necessarily the supreme rule” page161
——The Road to Serfdom （Friedrich Hayek）
• Individualism and collectivism
• State Egoism means: the conflict between
Individual state moral and Global collective moral

4. How Should We Understand State
Egoism?
• Pure good?
• Pure evil?
• Can we completely eradicate it?
Can: how to eradicate?
（The Communist International?)
Can’t: how to live with it?
(How to practice diplomacy with state egoism)
Multilateral Diplomacy is a practical choice

5. Multilateral Diplomacy and Global
Democracy
• Multilateral Diplomacy creates stable balances
between individual state moral (state egoism)
and global moral.
• Could well-functioning multilateral diplomacy
create global democracy?( Comparing with the
development process of democracy within a state,
what’s really building a state before building a
democratic state?)
• Is EU an evidence that Multilateral Diplomacy
creates Global Democracy? EU crisis - Greek

6. What’s Really Matters?
• What’s really determining International
Relations?
• Is it the ways countries practicing diplomacy
or their core interests arrangements are really
decisive?
• Can Multilateral Diplomacy solve the
structural contradictions?
(U.S-Soviet U.S-China)

7. What Should We Expect for
Multilateral Diplomacy?
• State Egoism as a premise
• Multilateral Diplomacy as a bottom line keeper.
UN=lead to the heaven or prevent to the hell?
• “Complex Interdependence theory” as a
achievable improvement method, though it’s
a gradual process.
(Economic interdependence is the first step.)

8. Complex Interdependence
• “Complex Interdependence” is a theory put
forth by Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye.
• It argues that states and their fortunes are
inextricably tied together.
• The various and complex transnational
connections and interdependencies between
states and societies were increasing, while the
use of military force and power balancing are
decreasing, but remain important.

9. A Promising Future
• The increase of complex interdependence in
global scale
• Multilateral Diplomacy as a normalcy (not
adequate yet) in future international affairs
• Keep state egoism in control and make right
use of it
• It’s not an overnight process, but a result of
trail and error learning.

10. Thank you !