Preface - Shodhganga

Preface
The Inter- parliamentary Union is an international organisation having
proper administrative organs, a permanent headquarter and a membership of
140 countries only next to the United Nations in extent and influence. The Union
came into being in 1889 as the sole outcome of the incessant efforts made by Sir
William Randel Cremer, Member of British House of Commons and Frederic
Passy, a Member of the French Chamber of Deputies. The earliest aims of the
Union centered on arbitration, as a peaceful solution of conflict situations,
characteristic of the fag end of the 19th century.
The Union predates the organisations like the International Court of
Justice, the League of Nations and the United Nations, all of which owe their
origin somewhat to the movement started by the Union. The Union has been able
to keep its place in the international system in all these years since its inception
in 1889. It has survived two World Wars in its journey of 112 years. After the
Second World War, the Union's role found a new dimension. Predominantly a
European organisation drew its members from all over the world. The issues like
decolonisation, human rights, economic development of the developing countries
etc. brought the Union in close proximity with African and Asian countries.
The relationship between the United Nations and the IPU has also seen a
big swing. The Union got a consultative status with the UN in ECOSOC in the
early 1950s and now it has grown into a full partnership on an equal footing. Now
the UN looks up to the Union for its role in the resolution of major international
conflicts and other problems.
The enormity of this organisation is not fully realised in the world today. The
Union has 140 members who religiously meet every six month and discuss
important issues confronting the world and exchange their views fearlessly. The
resolutions are adopted and the countries try to implement them. The
contribution of the Union to the development of the democratic institutions is
enormous.
The organisation today in spite of being so important, it has not
acquired its right full space in international system. This study is just a beginning
to relocate the Union to place it in the proper perspective and to see its impact
on the international relations in the present world system.
First Chapter endeavours to put Inter-Parliamentary Union in the
perspective of international organizations. It gives the scope and nature of this
thesis through its objectives and the hypotheses. The research questions in the
fqrm of hypotheses are designed to examine the status and role of the IPU in the
international system.
In order to understand the role and functions of the international
organisations vis-a-vis international relations, a brief analysis of the concept of
iv
the international organizations or IGOs liNGOs is provided. Tracing from the
emergence of the international organization, its definition and classification is
given
briefly.
While
discussing
interrelation
between
the
international
organization and the international relations a few theories viz., regional
integration theory, functional theory and communication theory are cited. A brief
debate between the traditionalists and the modernists figures. In the backdrop of
international organization, an effort has been made to categorize the InterParliamentary Union. While discussing the relations of the IPU with other
international
organizations,
its
co-operation
with
the
United
Nations
1s
highlighted. Various approaches to study the international organization are also
discussed.
Chapter Two traces the birth and evolution of the Inter-Parliamentary
Union as an international organisation. In this context it becomes important to
explore where exactly the IPU would fit in the international organisation milieu.
Theorists debating on international organisations are divided between the
traditionalists - who hold a state-centric approach, and the modernists who
believe in a transitional model of world politics. They propound the intervention of
governmental and non-governmental organisation in state functioning, especially
keeping in mind the changing world scenario. Today being an interdependent
world the role of international organisations are indeed relevant and important.
Although it may be argued that International systems are governed by
power politics, and it may seem to traditionalists that the role of IPU may be
limited and rendered negligible by state power, this may not be altogether true. It
would be simplistic to dismiss system of complex interdependence that today's
world has emerged as, and it is precisely because of this that organisation such
as the IPU could carve a significant niche for itself in the international scenario.
In Third Chapter an attempt has been made to throw light on the global
agenda of the Inter-parliamentary conferences is the post-Second World War
period. The agenda has been divided in the following categories: a) social issues,
b) political issues, c) economic issues, d) environmental issues, and e) other
issues.
Under the social issues category the issues like protection of mother and
child; education; equality between men and women etc. are discussed. A brief
sketch of the resolutions adopted at various inter-parliamentary conferences on
the above issues are given with some analysis whenever possible.
Likewise political issues have included some specific issues like Migration
and transfer of population; Reparation of War Damage to larger issues viz:
principles of International Morality; Unequal treaties; parliamentary institutions
and its control over budget, foreign affairs etc; State Sovereignty; Disarmament
Human Rights; Decolonization and conflict resolutions etc. The resolutions
adopted by successive conferences over a period of time reflect the approach of
the Union forwards handling the matters of international interest.
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The economic issues that the Union's conferences have taken on the
agenda center around the regional cooperation, and development of less
developed countries. The resolutions adopted are extremely forthright and
unambiguous in highlighting the problems faced by the backward countries.
Since agenda is central theme of this thesis, this chapter purports to
present a summary of the representative conferences vis-a-vis the issues
discussed.
Chapter Five brings out the contributions of the IPU in various fields. The
IPU provided a major political platform in the post-Second World War period to
countries of east and west alike to exchange their views freely. This was
significant as the period is termed as the cold war period marked by suspicion
and mistrust. The Technical Assistance Programme of the IPU to help newly
liberated countries to develop their political system on democratic pattern is a
major highlight.
The last Chapter enumerates the conclusions on a positive note. For
those optimistic souls who think of a possibility of a world government based on
democratic principles where the United Nations will be the Executive organ of the
government and the International Court of Justice, Judiciary, then definitely the
IPU could qualify as the Legislative organ.
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