why states decide to become International Organization's members?

States Decide to Become Members of International Organizations, What are Their Considerations?

In this paper, I will explain why states decide to become members of International Organizations. To understand about the reason why states decide to become members of International Organizations, we have to know about the basic information about International Organizations. The basic concept is consist of the history of International Organization, International Organizations’ classification, the goals of International Organizations, International organizations’ role, and the examples of International Organizations. In this explanation, we will know what the reason of states by becoming the member of International Organizations.

History of International organization

According to Clive Archer in his book International Organizations, International Organizations come from two words, international and organizations. ‘International can be interpreted in several meanings. First, intergovernmental which means interstate or the relations between the representatives from the states. Second, activities between the individuals and groups in other countries (transnational relations). Third, the relations between the branch of government in a country (defense department with other intelligent department), usually called transgovernmental (not through the foreign policy).

Organizations in singular pattern is “Organization”. “Organization is the process. But in International Organizations, organizations is the representative aspects of a phase in the process that has been achieved within a certain time.

At first, International organizations was established for keeping the regulations for orderly in achieving the common goals. International Organizations is defined as a formal structure and sustainable. It was established from an agreement of the members (government and no-government) from two sovereign countries or more for achieving the common goals.

Beginning of International Organizations occurred when the first agreement formed. This agreement came from autonomous political units to assert their rights and obligations of joint cooperation for the sake of peace. International organizations have never set up to fight each other or against each other between members. In a broad sense, International Organization can be interpreted as

engagement between the subjects that cross national borders. This engagement was established based on a treatment and has the common organs.

According to Michael Hass, International Organizations have two meanings. They are: first, as an institution or structure that has a set of rules, members, schedules, venue, and time of meeting. Second, International organizations are an arrangement of parts into an unified whole in which no aspect of non-governmental international organizations in term of this.

The common goal of International Organizations is coordinating the activities routinely by using technical division of task and special task. (International Organizations refers to the distinction of the role of information within the scope of world politics).

International Organization’s Classifications

There are two main categories of International Organization:

1.    Inter-Governmental Organization/ IGO)

The members are consist of official state government delegates. (for example Anwar Sadat, or political movement, like the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)

For example :

United Nations (UN)

World Trade Organization (WTO)

League Nations(LN)

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

IGO can be categorized into four groups based on membership and goals:

·         Global Membership and General Purpose

It is International Organizations like UN and LN which have larger scope and several functions (security and defense, social-economy, protections of human rights).

·         Global Membership and Limited Purpose

It is an International Organization which has functions like International Bank For Reconstruction Development (IBRD), World Health Organization (WHO), UNESCO (United Nations Educations, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

·         Regional Membership and General Purposes Organizations

It is organizations which has regional character. The activities are in field of (security, politics, social economy). For example : Organizations of American State (OAS), Arab League (AL)

·         Regional Membership and Limited Purposes Organizations

It is an organization that has sub-division in field of social-economic, military, and defense. For example Latin American Free Trade Association (LAFTA), NATO.

2.       Non-Governmental Organization/ NGO

It consists of private groups in several fields (education, religion, culture, economy, health).

For example :

International Red Cross (IRC)

Amnesty International (AI)

African Trade Union Confederation (ATUC)

Association of International Libraries (AIL)

Baptist World Alliance (BWA)

European Civil Service Federation (ECSF)

European Computers Manufacturing Association (ECMA)

Experiments in International Living (EIL)

Inter-American Bar Association (IBA)

International Chamber Commerce (ICC)

International Confederation of Midwives (ICM)

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)

International Association of Seed Crushers (IASC)

International Council of Scientific Unions ( ICS)

International Films and Television Council (ICFT)

International Political Science Association (IPSA)

Goals of International Organizations:

·      Regulation of International relations primarily through techniques of peaceful settlements of disputes among nations-states.

·      Minimalization or at least, control of international conflict (war)

·      Promotion of corporative, development among nation-states for the social and economic benefit of certain of human kind in general

·      Collective defence of a group nations-states agaist external threat. (Theodore A. Coulombis & James H. Wolfe, 1981,252)

The role of International Organization in International System

The role of International Organization can be defined into three categories.

a.       As an instrument. International Organizations is used by the members for achieving particular goals (based on their foreign policy).

b.    As an arena. International organizations are place for meeting and discussing problems of the members. International organizations are often used to raise the issue in the country to get international attention.

c.    As an independent actor. International organization can make their own decision without influenced by the power or coercion from outside organizations. International organization also has an important role in implementing, monitoring, and mediating the dispute among countries. 

The role of international organizations can be as initiator, facilitator, mediator, reconciliatory, determiners.

Why states decide to become members of IO?

After understanding the basic information about International Organizations, we can easily explain what the reasons of the state in becoming members of International Organization.

By becoming international Organization members, states will get many benefits. International Organizations can help state for solving their problems. States can raise the issues of their country to become a world concern, by sharing the problems in International Organizations.

There are two functions of International Organization (according to A. Le Roy Bannet):

a.       To provide the means of cooperation among states in areas which cooperation provides advantages for all or a large number of nations.

b.      To provide multiple channels of communication among governments so that areas of accommodation may be explored and easy access will be available when problem arise.

~cornelia juwita cintya dewi~

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