CHAPTER 1- BACKGROUND INFORMATION
- INTRODUCTION:
With the emergence of modern nation states, modern international relations emerged as these nation-states device and followed certain principles, courses and standards that govern their interactions in the international community. Basically, no nation is an island, so it becomes imperative for nation states to interact with each other. These actions therefore formed the foreign relations of such states. Traditionally, these actions are guided by national foreign policies that are clearly in pursuit of national aspirations or interests. What then is/are foreign policies?
Foreign policy is defined as the study of actions of a state toward the external environment and conditions-usually domestic-under which these actions are formulated (Dawisha, 1976). The domestic condition referred to in this definition may include such things as the form of government of such state and the public opinion and other activities or establishment within such state. However, this does not mean that actions of states are not influenced by external conditions too. Foreign policy can also be said to mean a set of carefully articulated goals and objectives interpreted in the decisions made and actions taken by a state in the pursuant of those articulated goals and objectives when interacting with other states in the international system (Ugwukah and Eteete, 2010).
Foreign policies do not just come about. There are certain factors that influence or determine their formulation. It is impossible to lay down any general rule regarding the relative importance of each of these factors or a scale of importance which decision-makers must permanently adhere to in making their policy decisions. Nevertheless, certain basic
determinants can be identified which most of the states in the international system take in to account while making their policy. F.S Northedge clearly states that the foreign policy of a country is a product of environmental factors both internal and external to it (Ugwukah and Eteete, 2010). Thus, foreign policy formulation is influenced by internal and external factors. The internal factors comprise factors within a particular state. In the words of Henry Kissinger, ‗foreign policy begins where domestic policy ends‘. The internal factors that influence foreign policy formulation include: economic development/structure, social structure, nature and character of political leadership, military capabilities, public opinion, history and culture, geographic location of the state and demographic factor and so on. The external factors (which comprise factors found in the global system) include international organisations and regimes, world public opinion, policies and actions of other states, the nature of the world economy and international law/norms (Ghosh, 2013).