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NATIONAL INTEREST
INTRO (NATURE),DEFINITIONS AND TYPES
INTRODUCTION
NATURE OF “NATIONAL INTEREST”.
NATURE OF NATIONAL INTEREST
3
 “National interest” is a key concept in International relations.
 Interest of a state or a nation to achieve its goals and objectives.
 Social goals, political goals, economic goals, security objectives.
 All the nations are always engaged in the process of fulfilling or securing the
goals of their national interests.
 National interest of a state is always its core value and state never ever
compromise on national interest.
 It is a universally accepted right of each state to secure its national interests.
 A state always tries to justify its actions on the basis of its national interests.
NATURE OF NATIONAL INTEREST
4
 The foreign policy of each nation is formulated on the basis of its
national interest and it is always for securing its goals.
 The behavior of a state is always conditioned and governed by its
national interests. Hence it is essential for us to know the meaning
and content of NATIONAL INTEREST.
“
5
JEFF SESSIONS
“I CERTAINLY BELIEVE
THAT IMPROVING OUR
INTELLIGENCE IS OF
IMPORTANT NATIONAL
INTEREST”.
NATIONAL INTEREST
DEFINITIONS. 
CHARLES LERCHE AND ABDUL SAEED
⬥ “THE GENERAL LONG TERM AND CONTINUING
PURPOSE WHICH THE STATE, THE NATION, AND THE
GOVERNMENT ALL SEE THEMSELVES AS SERVING”
7
1
DEFINITION
BROOKING INSTITUTION
⬥ “WHAT A NATION FEEL TO BE NECESSARY TO ITS
SECURITY AND WELL BEING….NATIONAL INTEREST
REFLECTS THE GENERAL AND CONTINUING END FOR
WHICH A NATION ACTS”.
8
2
DEFINITION
VERNON VON DYKE
⬥ “NATIONAL INTEREST IS THAT WHICH STATES SEEK TO
PROTECT OR ACHIEVE IN RELATION TO EACH OTHER.
⬥ IT MEANS DESIRES ON THE PART OF SOVEREIGN STATES”.
9
3
DEFINITION
How to
achieve N.I ?
State sets objectives first of all
and then it pursue these
objectives through its foreign
policy(tactics).
10
NATIONAL INTEREST
TYPES 
TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST
1. PRIMARY INTERESTS
2. SECONDARY INTERESTS
3. PERMANENT INTERESTS
4. VARIABLE INTERESTS
5. GENERAL INTERESTS
6. SPECIFIC INTERESTS
7. IDENTICAL INTERESTS
8. COMPLEMENTARY INTERESTS
9. CONFLICTING INTERESTS
12
 ROBINSON has pointed out NINE types of national interest
which are as follows.
TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST
13
1.PRIMARY-INTEREST
 TERRITORY, NATIONALISM, AND SOVEREIGNTY.
 These are also known as core or vital interests.
 These include the preservation of physical, political and cultural identity of
state against possible encroachments from outside powers.
 These interests are primary and vital that state must constantly defend them
at all cost.
 These interest can’t be compromised.
TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST
14
2.SECONDARY-INTEREST
 Interests directly related to the needs and demands of people.
 Secondary interests keep on changing with the passage of time.
 They don’t remain same like the primary interests.
 Though less important than the first one.
 These are quite crucial to the existence of the state.
 These include the protection of the citizens abroad and ensuring of
diplomatic immunizes for the diplomatic staff.
TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST
15
3.PERMANENT-INTEREST
 These pertain to the relatively constant and long term interests of the
state.
 An example of this kind is provided by the determination of British to
maintain freedom of navigation during the post few centuries for the
protection of her overseas colonies and growing trade.
 Permanent interests are always based on ideology.
 War between two ideologies, communism and capitalism during cold
war.
TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST
16
4. VARIABLE INTERESTS
 The variable Interests refer to those Interests of a nation that a nation
considers vital for a national good in a given set of circumstances.
 In this sense the variable interests can diverge from both Primary and
Permanent Interests.
 The variable Interests of a state are largely determined by the Personalities,
Public opinion, Sectional Interests, Partisan Politics and Political and Moral
folk ways.
TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST
17
5. GENERAL INTERESTS
 The general interests of a nation refer to those positive conditions that
can be applied to a large number of nations or in several specified fields
such as economic, trade and diplomatic intercourse etc.
 for example it was the general national interest of Britain to maintain
balance of the European Continent.
TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST
18
6. SPECIFIC INTERESTS
 The Specific Interests although the logical outgrowth of the general
interest -are defined in terms of time or space.
 For example, Britain has considered it a specific national interest to
maintain the independence of the lower countries for the sake of
preservation of balance of power in Europe.
 In addition to the above six types of national interest Prof. Robinson
refers to three other interest that he describes as, “International Interest”.
 These include the identical interests, complementary interests and
conflicting interests that are as under.
TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST
19
7. IDENTICAL INTERESTS
 The Identical Interests refer to Interests that are held in common by a
number of states.
 For example, both United States and Britain have been interested that
Europe should not be dominated by any single power.
TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST
20
8. COMPLEMENTARY INTERESTS
 The Complementary Interests of the nations refer to those interests that
though not identical, can form the basis of agreement on some specific
issues.
 For example, Britain was interested in the independence of Portugal
against Spain because she wanted to control the region of the Atlantic
Ocean.
 Likewise, Portugal was interested in the British maritime hegemony
because this was a safe means of defense against Spain.
TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST
21
9. CONFLICTING INTERESTS
 The Interests other than identical and complementary interest fall in the
category of conflicting interests.
 It may be noted that the conflicting interests are not fixed and undergo a
change due to the force of events and diplomacy.
 Thus, the present time conflicting interests may become complementary
interests.
 Likewise, complementary interests and identical Interest can also get
transformed into conflicting Interests.
THANKS!
ANY QUESTIONS?
22
MADE BY:
Muhammad Saad.
You can find me at (ssaaaadd@gmail.com)

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Introduction to National Interest, it's Nature, Definition, and Types.

  • 3. NATURE OF NATIONAL INTEREST 3  “National interest” is a key concept in International relations.  Interest of a state or a nation to achieve its goals and objectives.  Social goals, political goals, economic goals, security objectives.  All the nations are always engaged in the process of fulfilling or securing the goals of their national interests.  National interest of a state is always its core value and state never ever compromise on national interest.  It is a universally accepted right of each state to secure its national interests.  A state always tries to justify its actions on the basis of its national interests.
  • 4. NATURE OF NATIONAL INTEREST 4  The foreign policy of each nation is formulated on the basis of its national interest and it is always for securing its goals.  The behavior of a state is always conditioned and governed by its national interests. Hence it is essential for us to know the meaning and content of NATIONAL INTEREST.
  • 5. “ 5 JEFF SESSIONS “I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT IMPROVING OUR INTELLIGENCE IS OF IMPORTANT NATIONAL INTEREST”.
  • 7. CHARLES LERCHE AND ABDUL SAEED ⬥ “THE GENERAL LONG TERM AND CONTINUING PURPOSE WHICH THE STATE, THE NATION, AND THE GOVERNMENT ALL SEE THEMSELVES AS SERVING” 7 1 DEFINITION
  • 8. BROOKING INSTITUTION ⬥ “WHAT A NATION FEEL TO BE NECESSARY TO ITS SECURITY AND WELL BEING….NATIONAL INTEREST REFLECTS THE GENERAL AND CONTINUING END FOR WHICH A NATION ACTS”. 8 2 DEFINITION
  • 9. VERNON VON DYKE ⬥ “NATIONAL INTEREST IS THAT WHICH STATES SEEK TO PROTECT OR ACHIEVE IN RELATION TO EACH OTHER. ⬥ IT MEANS DESIRES ON THE PART OF SOVEREIGN STATES”. 9 3 DEFINITION
  • 10. How to achieve N.I ? State sets objectives first of all and then it pursue these objectives through its foreign policy(tactics). 10
  • 12. TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST 1. PRIMARY INTERESTS 2. SECONDARY INTERESTS 3. PERMANENT INTERESTS 4. VARIABLE INTERESTS 5. GENERAL INTERESTS 6. SPECIFIC INTERESTS 7. IDENTICAL INTERESTS 8. COMPLEMENTARY INTERESTS 9. CONFLICTING INTERESTS 12  ROBINSON has pointed out NINE types of national interest which are as follows.
  • 13. TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST 13 1.PRIMARY-INTEREST  TERRITORY, NATIONALISM, AND SOVEREIGNTY.  These are also known as core or vital interests.  These include the preservation of physical, political and cultural identity of state against possible encroachments from outside powers.  These interests are primary and vital that state must constantly defend them at all cost.  These interest can’t be compromised.
  • 14. TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST 14 2.SECONDARY-INTEREST  Interests directly related to the needs and demands of people.  Secondary interests keep on changing with the passage of time.  They don’t remain same like the primary interests.  Though less important than the first one.  These are quite crucial to the existence of the state.  These include the protection of the citizens abroad and ensuring of diplomatic immunizes for the diplomatic staff.
  • 15. TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST 15 3.PERMANENT-INTEREST  These pertain to the relatively constant and long term interests of the state.  An example of this kind is provided by the determination of British to maintain freedom of navigation during the post few centuries for the protection of her overseas colonies and growing trade.  Permanent interests are always based on ideology.  War between two ideologies, communism and capitalism during cold war.
  • 16. TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST 16 4. VARIABLE INTERESTS  The variable Interests refer to those Interests of a nation that a nation considers vital for a national good in a given set of circumstances.  In this sense the variable interests can diverge from both Primary and Permanent Interests.  The variable Interests of a state are largely determined by the Personalities, Public opinion, Sectional Interests, Partisan Politics and Political and Moral folk ways.
  • 17. TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST 17 5. GENERAL INTERESTS  The general interests of a nation refer to those positive conditions that can be applied to a large number of nations or in several specified fields such as economic, trade and diplomatic intercourse etc.  for example it was the general national interest of Britain to maintain balance of the European Continent.
  • 18. TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST 18 6. SPECIFIC INTERESTS  The Specific Interests although the logical outgrowth of the general interest -are defined in terms of time or space.  For example, Britain has considered it a specific national interest to maintain the independence of the lower countries for the sake of preservation of balance of power in Europe.  In addition to the above six types of national interest Prof. Robinson refers to three other interest that he describes as, “International Interest”.  These include the identical interests, complementary interests and conflicting interests that are as under.
  • 19. TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST 19 7. IDENTICAL INTERESTS  The Identical Interests refer to Interests that are held in common by a number of states.  For example, both United States and Britain have been interested that Europe should not be dominated by any single power.
  • 20. TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST 20 8. COMPLEMENTARY INTERESTS  The Complementary Interests of the nations refer to those interests that though not identical, can form the basis of agreement on some specific issues.  For example, Britain was interested in the independence of Portugal against Spain because she wanted to control the region of the Atlantic Ocean.  Likewise, Portugal was interested in the British maritime hegemony because this was a safe means of defense against Spain.
  • 21. TYPES OF NATIONAL INTEREST 21 9. CONFLICTING INTERESTS  The Interests other than identical and complementary interest fall in the category of conflicting interests.  It may be noted that the conflicting interests are not fixed and undergo a change due to the force of events and diplomacy.  Thus, the present time conflicting interests may become complementary interests.  Likewise, complementary interests and identical Interest can also get transformed into conflicting Interests.
  • 22. THANKS! ANY QUESTIONS? 22 MADE BY: Muhammad Saad. You can find me at (ssaaaadd@gmail.com)