THE EVOLUTION OF SOVIET AND AMERICAN ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICY AND MOVEMENT OF NON-ALIGNMENT Cover Image

EVOLUCIJA SOVJETSKIH I AMERIČKIH STAVOVA PREMA POLITICI I POKRETU NESVRSTANOSTI
THE EVOLUTION OF SOVIET AND AMERICAN ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICY AND MOVEMENT OF NON-ALIGNMENT

Author(s): Dragan Bogetić
Subject(s): Diplomatic history, Political history, Recent History (1900 till today), Post-War period (1950 - 1989), History of Communism
Published by: Institut za savremenu istoriju, Beograd
Keywords: Yugoslavia; Soviet Union; USA; international relations; non-alignment policy; policy attitudes; postwar period;

Summary/Abstract: Attitudes of the great powers toward the policy and non-alignment movement were evolving side by side with the process of changing of their foreign strategy, reflecting gradually real relations in international community. In the period of the first years of affirmation of non-alignment policy, the great powers estimated and valued foreign orientation of newly liberated countries with obvious dis-contempt, qualifying the conception of non-binding for any bloc as a kind of neutrality and opportunism. However, with changings in international relations and strengthening of non-alignment, the attitude of the great powers toward this policy has changed as they, irrespective of their own standpoints an interests, had sooner or later to accept non-alignment as present and organized power that must be take count of seriously in creation their global foreign-relations strategy. In Stalin’s period, Soviet science and policy ignored appearance of non-alignment in accordance with stalinist sectarian slogan. Who is not with us, he is against us”, which was, of course, the expression of dis-contempt and suspicion toward that policy. After Stalin’s death, in mid-fifties. Soviet Union started to accept the policy of non-binding for blocs as a positive position in international relations, qualifying it as a significant contribution to peace in the world. But, although the non-aligned policy was understood only as a „reserve” or „younger partner” of socialist forces and not as an independent factor of international relations. In mid-seventies a principal and radical turnover appeared in Soviet attitude toward non-alignment. Since that time Soviet science and practical policy show an intensified interest for non-alignment, which is characterised as a very significant contribution to peace and an independent and active factor of international relations. However, from the very beginning of non-alignment, till now, Soviet Union tried to fit it into the frame of its own international strategy and to turn it into the direction which would be most suitable to real Soviet foreign interests. The approach of USA to the non-alignment policy in the first years of cold war was extremely negative and hostile. Understood as a policy directly meant against interests of West, the non-alignment was characterized as an amoral and shortsighted concepcy. Further evolution of American approach of non-alignment, followed a line of tacit approval of non-alignment policy, but with further conflict with non-alignment countries, until, at the end of seventies, in the time of Carter’s government, entered the phase of public recognition and respect, with an accent on necessity of collaboration with non-aligned countries. But, in eighties, USA show tendency for gradual exclusion of non-alignment movement from international scene by neutralizing and passivizing it, which evidently represents a serious step backward in previous evolution of American approach to non-alignment.

  • Issue Year: 1986
  • Issue No: 1+2
  • Page Range: 101-128
  • Page Count: 28
  • Language: Serbian