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{{short description|Government's strategy in relating with other nations}}
{{about|political affairs|the magazine|Foreign Policy}}
{{Redirect|Foreign affairs|the magazine|Foreign Affairs||Foreign affairs (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|Foreign relations|see also|International relations}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
[[File:Paasikivi ja Voroshilov.jpg|thumb|[[J. K. Paasikivi]], the [[President of Finland]], was remembered as a main architect of [[Foreign relations of Finland|Finland's foreign policy]] with the [[Soviet Union]] after the [[Second World War]].<ref>{{Cite book|editor-last=Wilsford|editor-first=David|title=Political leaders of contemporary Western Europe: a biographical dictionary|publisher=[[Greenwood Publishing Group]]|year=1995|pages=347–352}}</ref> From left to right: President Paasikivi and Soviet head of state [[Kliment Voroshilov]] in [[Moscow]].]]
[[File:Palazzo della Farnesina.jpg|thumb|The [[Palazzo della Farnesina|Farnesina]] in [[Rome]], seat of the Italian [[Ministry of foreign affairs]]]]
[[File:Zapatero in Poland (556095467).jpg|thumb|Meeting between the prime ministers of [[Spain]] and [[Poland]] ([[Jarosław Kaczyński]]), in 2007]]
{{Politics|expanded=Policy}}
'''Foreign policy''', also known as '''external policy''', is the set of strategies and actions a [[State (polity)|state]] employs in its interactions with other states, unions, and international entities. It encompasses a wide range of objectives, including defense and security, economic benefits, and humanitarian assistance. The formulation of foreign policy is influenced by various factors such as domestic considerations, the behavior of other states, and geopolitical strategies. Historically, the practice of foreign policy has evolved from managing short-term crises to addressing long-term international relations, with diplomatic corps playing a crucial role in its development.

The objectives of foreign policy are diverse and interconnected, contributing to a comprehensive approach for each state. Defense and security are often primary goals,<ref name="onlinelibrary">{{Cite journal |last1=Redd |first1=Steven B. |last2=Mintz |first2=Alex |date=5 April 2013 |title=Policy Perspectives on National Security and Foreign Policy Decision Making |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/psj.12010 |journal=Policy Studies Journal |language=en |volume=41 |issue=S1 |doi=10.1111/psj.12010 |s2cid=154618621 |issn=0190-292X|url-access=subscription }}</ref> with states forming military alliances and employing soft power to combat threats. Economic interests, including trade agreements and foreign aid, are central to a country's role in the global economy. Additionally, many states have developed humanitarian programs based on the responsibility to protect, supporting less powerful countries through various forms of assistance. The study of foreign policy examines the reasons and methods behind state interactions, with think tanks and academic institutions providing research and analysis to inform policy decisions.

== History ==
{{See also|Diplomatic history}}
The idea of long-term management of relationships followed the development of professional [[diplomatic corps]] that managed [[diplomacy]].

In the 18th century, due to extreme turbulence in [[History of Europe#Enlightenment|European diplomacy]] and ongoing conflicts, the practice of diplomacy was often fragmented by the necessity to deal with isolated issues, termed "affairs". Therefore, while domestic management of such issues was termed [[civil affairs]] (peasant riots, treasury shortfalls, and court intrigues), the term foreign affairs was applied to the management of temporary issues outside the sovereign realm. This term remained in widespread use in the English-speaking states into the 20th century, and remains the name of departments in [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs#Lists of current ministries of foreign affairs|several states]] that manage foreign relations. Although originally intended to describe short term management of a specific concern, these departments now manage all day-to-day and long-term [[international relations]] among states.{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}}

[[Think tank]]s are occasionally employed by government foreign relations organizations to provide research and advocacy in the development of foreign policy proposals, alternatives to existing policy, or to provide analytical assessments of evolving relationships.

== Objectives ==
Several objectives may motivate a government's foreign policy. Foreign policy may be directed for defense and security, for economic benefit, or to provide assistance to states that need it. All foreign policy objectives are interconnected and contribute to a single, comprehensive foreign policy for each state. Unlike domestic policy, foreign policy issues often arise suddenly in response to developments and major events in foreign countries.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Wood |first1=B. Dan |last2=Peake |first2=Jeffrey S. |year=1998 |title=The Dynamics of Foreign Policy Agenda Setting |journal=[[American Political Science Review]] |volume=92 |issue=1 |pages=173–184|doi=10.2307/2585936 |jstor=2585936 |s2cid=154427295 }}</ref>

=== Defense ===
Foreign policy is often directed for the purpose of ensuring [[national security]].<ref name="onlinelibrary"/> Governments forming [[military alliance]]s with foreign states in order to [[Deterrence theory|deter]] and show stronger resistance to attack.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Leeds |first=Brett Ashley |date=1 July 2003 |title=Do Alliances Deter Aggression? The Influence of Military Alliances on the Initiation of Militarized Interstate Disputes |journal=[[American Journal of Political Science]] |language=en |volume=47 |issue=3 |pages=427–439 |doi=10.1111/1540-5907.00031 |issn=1540-5907}}</ref> Foreign policy also focuses on combating adversarial states through [[soft power]], [[international isolation]], or [[war]].

In the 21st century, defensive foreign policy has expanded to address the threat of global [[terrorism]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lai |first=Brian |date=2017 |title=Terrorism and Foreign Policy |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Savun |first1=Burcu |last2=Phillips |first2=Brian J. |year=2009 |title=Democracy, Foreign Policy, and Terrorism |journal=[[Journal of Conflict Resolution]] |volume=53 |issue=6 |pages=878–904|doi=10.1177/0022002709342978 |s2cid=154846148 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Silke |first=Andrew |title=Terrorists, Victims and Society: Psychological Perspectives on Terrorism and its Consequences |publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons]] |year=2003 |pages=215–232 |chapter=Retaliating Against Terrorism}}</ref>

=== Economic ===
Foreign policy is central for a country's role within the [[world economy]] and [[international trade]]. Economic foreign policy issues may include the establishment of [[trade agreement]]s, the distribution of foreign aid, and the management of [[import]]s and [[export]]s.

=== Internationalist ===
Many states have developed [[Humanitarianism|humanitarian programs]] under the concept of the [[responsibility to protect]]. Proponents of [[liberal internationalism]] believe that it is the duty of stronger and more well-off countries to assist and support less powerful countries. This idea is often associated with the [[Idealism in international relations|idealist]] school of thought. [[Liberal internationalism|Liberal internationalist]] support can take the form of defensive or economic support.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Orford |first=Anne |year=2013 |title=Moral Internationalism and the Responsibility to Protect |journal=[[European Journal of International Law]] |volume=24 |pages=83–108|doi=10.1093/ejil/chs092 }}</ref>

== Influences ==

=== Power and National capabilities ===
[[Superpower]]s are able to project power and exercise their influence across the world, while [[great power]]s and [[middle power]]s have moderate influence in global affairs.

[[Small power]]s have less ability to exercise influence unilaterally, as they have fewer economic and military resources to leverage. As a result, they are more likely to support international and multilateral organizations. The diplomatic bureaucracies of smaller states are also smaller, which limits their capacity to engage in complex diplomacy. Smaller states may seek to ally themselves with larger countries for economic and defensive benefits, or they may avoid involvement in international disputes so as to remain on friendly terms with all countries.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Steinsson |first1=Sverrir |title=Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics |last2=Thorhallsson |first2=Baldur |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2017 |chapter=Small State Foreign Policy}}</ref>

=== Form of government ===
The political institutions and forms of government play a role in a country's foreign policy. In a [[democracy]], public opinion and the methods of political representation both affect a country's foreign policy.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Risse-Kappen |first=Thomas |year=1991 |title=Public Opinion, Domestic Structure, and Foreign Policy in Liberal Democracies |journal=[[World Politics]] |volume=43 |issue=4 |pages=479–512|doi=10.2307/2010534 |jstor=2010534 |s2cid=153936601 }}</ref> Democratic countries are also believed to be [[Democratic peace theory|less likely]] to resort to military conflict with one another.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hegre |first=Håvard |year=2014 |title=Democracy and armed conflict |journal=[[Journal of Peace Research]] |volume=51 |issue=2 |pages=159–172 |doi=10.1177/0022343313512852 |issn=0022-3433 |s2cid=146428562|doi-access=free }}</ref> [[Autocracy|Autocratic]] states are less likely to use [[Legalism (Western philosophy)|legalism]] in their foreign policies.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Erdmann |first1=Gero |title=International Cooperation of Authoritarian Regimes: Toward a Conceptual Framework |last2=Bank |first2=André |last3=Hoffmann |first3=Bert |last4=Richter |first4=Thomas |publisher=[[German Institute for Global and Area Studies]] |year=2013}}</ref> Under a [[dictatorship]], a state's foreign policy may depend heavily on the preferences of the dictator.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kneuer |first=Marianne |title=The Oxford Encyclopedia of Foreign Policy Analysis |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2017 |chapter=Autocratic Regimes and Foreign Policy}}</ref> Dictators that interfere significantly with their foreign policy apparatus may be less predictable and more likely to make foreign policy blunders.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Frantz |first1=Erica |last2=Ezrow |first2=Natasha M. |year=2009 |title='Yes Men' and the Likelihood of Foreign Policy Mistakes Across Dictatorships |journal=APSA 2009 Toronto Meeting Paper |publisher=[[American Political Science Association|APSA]]}}</ref>

== Study ==
{{Main|Foreign policy analysis}}
The study of foreign policy considers why and how states interact with one another and maintain relations. Several schools of thought exist in the study of foreign policy, including the rational actor model based on [[rational choice theory]], the government bargaining model that posits the foreign policy apparatus as several competing interests, and the organizational process model that posits the foreign policy apparatus as interlinked bureaucracies that each play their own role.<ref>Graham T. Allison (1969) "Conceptual Models and the Cuban Missile Crisis." ''[[The American Political Science Review]]'', Vol. 63, No. 3 (Sep. 1969), pp. 689–718</ref>

[[Think tank]]s exist that study foreign policy specifically, including the [[Council on Foreign Relations]] in the United States and the [[Chatham House]] in the United Kingdom.

==See also==
* [[Alliance]]
* [[Balance of power (international relations)]]
* [[Diplomacy]]
* [[Intergovernmental organization]]
* [[International relations theory]]
* [[International relations]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Christopher Hill, ''The Changing Politics of Foreign Policy'', Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.
* Jean-Frédéric Morin and Jonathan Paquin, ''Foreign Policy Analysis: A Toolbox'', Palgrave, 2018.
* Steve Smith, Amelia Hadley and Tim Dunne (eds), ''Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases'', 1st ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.
* Frank A. Stengel and Rainer Baumann, "Non-State Actors and Foreign Policy", ''The Oxford Encyclopedia of Foreign Policy Analysis'', edited by Cameron Thies, 266–86. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [[doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.456]].

==External links==
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[[Category:Foreign policy| ]]
[[Category:Subfields of political science]]
[[Category:International relations]]
[[Category:Public policy]]