Diplomacy is the delicate art of tact and strategic communication, a form of problem-solving that fosters understanding and minimizes conflict. In its highest form, it seeks a “golden mean” – an outcome that benefits all parties involved. Diplomacy is the core of international relations and the soul of negotiation.
It has always been the practice of states to treat their diplomats with utmost respect, and even a single act of brutality or insult can spark an outrage. It is this sanctity of the diplomatic mission that underlies the modern concept of diplomatic immunity and has made it so rare for a diplomat to be killed.
The earliest examples of diplomacy were essentially gunboat diplomacy, with countries using military force to intimidate their opponents and influence the outcome of negotiations. However, such displays of power are generally considered to be at the edge of peace and war and can only be used when there is a real need for coercion or to impose one’s will on others.
In more recent times, diplomacy has shifted away from the pursuit of narrow state interests toward more lofty goals. Henry Kissinger, for example, argued that diplomacy was the “art of restraining power.” Jimmy Carter, meanwhile, often prioritized human rights and high moral standards during his own career in foreign service.
A successful diplomat must understand that the best leverage comes from building coalitions of like-minded states and peoples. This may involve developing goodwill for the country they represent, nurturing relations with foreign nations and peoples that ensure cooperation or, if that fails, passivity, and contriving a way to defuse tensions and prevent war.