By Hnin Myat Thu (Culture)
Introduction
National interest is an important fundamental concept in international affairs that shapes the policies, strategies, and actions of states. Each country pursues various approaches in the political, economic, security, and foreign relations fields to protect and promote its national interests and to achieve its longterm objectives.
Therefore, National Interest is one of the most fundamental concepts in International Relations and Public Policy. National Interest refers to the fundamental objectives, policy orientations, and collective interests of a nation aimed at protecting, preserving, and promoting its sovereignty, security, economic development, culture, the social well-being of its citizens, and future development. It represents the guiding principles and priorities that shape a country’s decisions and actions in safeguarding and advancing its overall interests.
Although the concept has evolved, national interest remains the primary basis upon which governments formulate domestic and foreign policies. Regardless of differences in political systems, economic structures, and cultural traditions, all states pursue policies that they believe will safeguard their sovereignty, security, prosperity, culture and the well-being of their people.
In the era of deepening globalization, where interdependence and connectivity among nations have become increasingly significant, the meaning and scope of National Interest have expanded beyond the traditional focus on military and political security. In the contemporary world, national interest has evolved into a broader and more comprehensive concept encompassing various dimensions of national development and security. Modern states, in safeguarding and promoting their national interests, are not only concerned with protecting sovereignty and national security but also with improving the quality of life of their citizens, ensuring sustainable development, and enhancing their competitiveness within the international community.
With the expansion of the concept of national interest, economic development has become one of its essential components. Economic stability, the promotion of investment, the strengthening of trade relations, the creation of employment opportunities, and the improvement of citizens’ socioeconomic well-being are now regarded as fundamental elements in achieving and advancing national interests.
Furthermore, scientific and technological advancement and cybersecurity have emerged as critical dimensions of contemporary national security. With the increasing reliance on digital technologies, ensuring information security, protecting critical infrastructure, and maintaining technological sovereignty have become important priorities for states in safeguarding their national interests.
Similarly, public health has become a significant component of national interest and is directly linked to national security. Global pandemics and health-related challenges can have profound impacts on a country’s economy, society, and national stability. Therefore, strengthening healthcare systems and ensuring the health security of citizens have become essential priorities in protecting national interests.
In addition, environmental protection, addressing climate change, and ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources have become key elements of modern national interest. Climate change, natural disasters, and environmental degradation can have long-term impacts on national economies and social development. Therefore, countries have increasingly incorporated sustainable development into their national strategies and policies.
Moreover, the preservation of cultural heritage represents an important aspect of national interest as it contributes to a nation’s identity, historical continuity, and international reputation. Protecting and promoting cultural heritage, traditions, and historical values not only strengthens national pride among citizens but also enhances a country’s image and soft power in the international arena.
At the same time, regional and international cooperation has become an indispensable component of contemporary national interest. In today’s interconnected world, many challenges cannot be effectively addressed by individual countries alone. Therefore, states increasingly engage with regional and international organizations to promote peace, stability, sustainable development, and mutual benefits through cooperation and collective efforts.
In the modern context, National Interest does not merely refer to the protection of a country’s territory, sovereignty, and security. Rather, it represents a comprehensive and multidimensional concept that integrates economic, technological, social, health, environmental, cultural, and international cooperation aspects, reflecting a nation’s long-term objectives, priorities, and collective aspirations.
Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of National Interest is crucial for policymakers, researchers, and citizens, as it provides the foundation for developing effective policies, making informed decisions, and promoting the long-term interests and sustainable development of the nation.
Definition of National Interest
National interest refers to the objectives and interests that a state seeks to pursue, protect, and promote in order to ensure the survival and continuity of the nation, safeguard its sovereignty, maintain national security, foster economic development, and improve the well-being and quality of life of its people. In this regard, various scholars have defined and explained the concept of national interest as follows:
Hans J Morgenthau, one of the founders of classical realism, argued that national interest is defined primarily in terms of power. According to this perspective, states have strengthened their political, economic, and military capabilities in order to ensure their survival and security.
According to the British scholar of International Relations, Joseph Frankel, national interest is defined as “the general, long-term, and continuing purpose which the state, the nation, and the government all see themselves as pursuing.” Based on this definition, national interest extends beyond the short-term policies of a government. Rather, it serves as a fundamental objective that guides a nation’s long-term development, security, prosperity, and position in the international community.
Charles O Lerche and Abdul A Said are prominent scholars in the fields of International Relations and Foreign Policy studies who made significant contributions to the understanding of national interest, power politics, and international conflict and cooperation. They conceptualized national interest as a fundamental concept that guides a state’s foreign policy and international behaviour.
In practical terms, national interest can be understood as the combination of political, economic, security, social, cultural and environmental objectives that contribute to the long-term survival and prosperity of a nation.
The Relationship between National Interest and the Culture and Tourism Sectors
As stated above, national Interest is one of the most fundamental concepts in international relations and public policy, and it encompasses the long-term goals, priorities, and aspirations that guide a state’s domestic and foreign policies in protecting its sovereignty, ensuring national security, promoting economic prosperity, preserving its cultural identity, improving the well-being of its citizens, and achieving sustainable national development. While the traditional understanding of national interest primarily focused on military strength, territorial integrity, and political security, the concept has evolved significantly in response to globalization, technological advancement, and increasing international interdependence. Today, culture and tourism are widely recognized as strategic sectors that contribute directly to the realization of a nation’s national interests.
Culture as a Strategic Component of National Interest
Culture is the fundamental pillar of a nation’s national identity, representing its history, cultural heritage, language, arts, traditions and customs, beliefs, and way of life. Therefore, preserving, protecting, and promoting cultural heritage has become an essential component of the national interest.
The preservation and safeguarding of ancient cultural heritage, historical cities, historic buildings, museums, traditional arts, literature, languages, religious heritage, and traditional knowledge passed down from generation to generation constitute a significant foundation for strengthening a nation’s historical identity, cultural values, and national identity. These cultural heritages represent a nation’s historical experiences, the values and beliefs of its people, and their traditional ways of life. Therefore, preserving and promoting such heritage can enhance public awareness, appreciation, patriotism, and national pride toward one’s country and cultural identity.
Furthermore, the effective preservation and promotion of cultural heritage not only enable younger generations to better understand their historical roots and cultural identity but also provide an important means of introducing and showcasing the unique cultural characteristics of a nation to the international community. Such cultural preservation efforts play a vital role in strengthening national unity, promoting cultural values within society, and enhancing a country’s Soft Power and international image. Moreover, culture is an important source of soft power. Through cultural diplomacy, cultural exchange programs, art exhibitions, cultural festivals, educational cooperation, and creative industries, a nation can introduce its cultural values to the world while enhancing international trust, friendship, and influence. Therefore, the preservation and promotion of culture play a strategic role in advancing a country’s foreign policy objectives and safeguarding its national interests.
Furthermore, culture has become an increasingly important instrument of soft power. Unlike military or economic power, soft power enables countries to influence others through attraction rather than coercion.
Cultural diplomacy, international cultural exchanges, art exhibitions, festivals, educational cooperation, and creative industries help improve a country’s international image and foster mutual understanding among nations.
Countries with rich cultural heritage often enjoy greater international recognition and are able to strengthen diplomatic relations through cultural cooperation. Consequently, investment in cultural preservation and promotion directly supports a country’s foreign policy objectives and enhances its global standing.
The Importance of the Tourism Sector for National Interest
Tourism has become one of the fastest-growing and most significant economic sectors in the global economy today. Beyond its economic contributions, tourism serves as a strategic sector that can play an important role in promoting a nation’s national interests. It contributes not only to economic development but also to cultural preservation, social development, diplomacy, and international relations, thereby strengthening a country’s overall position in the global community.
From an economic perspective, tourism contributes significantly to national development by generating foreign exchange earnings, stimulating economic activities, increasing government revenue through taxation, attracting domestic and foreign investment, and creating employment opportunities. Furthermore, tourism supports the growth of various related industries, including hotels and accommodation services, restaurants, transportation, handicrafts, local products, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Through these interconnected sectors, tourism creates broader economic benefits and contributes to inclusive economic growth.
In addition, tourism serves as an important source of employment generation. It creates direct employment opportunities in sectors such as hotels, travel services, tour guiding, and hospitality, while also providing indirect employment opportunities in agriculture, handicraft production, transportation, retail, and other supporting industries. In particular, the development of Community-Based Tourism (CBT) enables local communities to actively participate in tourism activities, generate income, improve their socio-economic conditions, and contribute to regional development.
TO BE CONTINUED
#TheGlobalNewLightOfMyanmar