Mini Guide. Bandung Conference. Boston Invitational Model United Nations XVI February 10-12, 2017 // bosmun.org

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1 Mini Guide Boston Invitational Model United Nations XVI February 10-12, 2017 // bosmun.org

2 + The took place in April of 1955 in Bandung, Indonesia. This conference, co-sponsored by Burma, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, brought together representatives from across Asia and Africa. In fact, twenty-nine countries were represented at this conference. The motivation behind this gathering was to discuss peace initiatives, newly-independent states, decolonization, neo-imperialism, and economic cooperation. The general theme of this conference focused on sovereignty and self determination, especially since many of the participants were newly-independent states. The conference took place under the shadow of the Cold War, with the ever-present awareness of the many proxy wars between the U.S. and USSR. PAGE 2

3 + Topic 1 Resisting Neo-Imperialism The Cold War began at the tail-end of World War II between the United States and the Soviet Union. Throughout the late 1940s, and early 1950s, these two nations faced off with military growth, nuclear proliferation, and proxy wars. In essence, it was the West versus the East. Many African and Asian nations found themselves mixed into the conflict in one way or another. For example, Korea faced a devastating civil war between the communist north and western-backed south. The Soviet Union and Western powers used Korea as a battleground for ideologies and hegemony, leading to a ravaged and divided nation. The use of proxies in the Cold War and the intervention of militarized superpowers mirrored the colonization of the past. In fact, the 1940s and 1950s were a time of decolonization for many African and Asian states. These new states feared any sign of re-colonization and were therefore wary of foreign intervention. With military intervention comes power and leverage. Newly-independent states could not risk losing their developing governments and institutions. This wariness is the leading motivation behind the creation of the. Developing and newly-independent nations wanted to find a way to maintain their sovereignty through mutual cooperation and solidarity. Many of the newly-independent states were once PAGE 3

4 under western rule. Therefore, the focus of resisting neo-imperialism was very much on western countries like the U.S. and Great Britain. However, many nations were well aware of the looming threat of soviet intervention and a communist bloc. Developing states attempted to find ways in which they would not be pawned off between the U.S. and USSR in a power struggle. Cold War power struggles and proxy wars were the backdrop to the Bandung Conference. These issues fueled a need for sovereignty guarantees and peaceful negotiations. The participants of the wanted to find methods and relationships that could help protect them if/when a time came for superpower intervention. Moreover, many nations feared the risks involved with the U.S.-USSR arms race and nuclear proliferation. With the introduction of nuclear weapons, wars would not be confined to a single area, but would affect surrounding regions. It is with this thought in mind that the leaders of the sought to outline ways in which they could peacefully negotiate with superpowers while also not compromising their independence and autonomy. PAGE 4

5 + Research Questions 1. What barriers do these nations face when it comes to resisting neo-imperialism? 2. How will the U.S. or USSR react to this goal? 3. What are the origins of the non-alignment movement? 4. Which nations are likely to form a leadership bloc? PAGE 5

6 + Topic 2 Economic Cooperation The nations attending the were developing not only politically, but economically as well. Decades of imperialism left mostly agricultural societies in an increasingly technological world. With the onslaught of globalization, technology, and superpower economies, African and Asian nations needed to find methods to help them compete on the international platform. If these nations were to depend on trade with superpowers like the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union, they would once again fall into the trap of neo-imperialism. These superpowers would be able to use their economic superiority and wealth as tools to intervene in developing nations once again. For example, although Egypt attained independence from Great Britain in 1922, the government s dependence on Great Britain for loans played a major role in the eventual Suez Canal crisis. Newly independent nations realized the power economic dependence could give superpowers. However, they still needed to find a way to establish trade and make their mark on the international market. The was created with these questions of trading partners and globalization. The creators of the conference hoped that by bringing together such a large PAGE 6

7 number of states, economic and cultural exchange would be inevitable. The nations all have the common goal of expanding their economies and eventually reaching economic independence from superpowers. Therefore, it seemed that the best opportunity to achieve this goal was to establish economic cooperation amongst developing nations, By fostering economic cooperation, and therefore trade, between developing nations, they would expand their industries, bringing prosperity for their government and people. This prosperity would feed into the ultimate goal of autonomy. With increased trade, these nations would be able to rely far less on their former colonizers. The tricky question is what economic plan would equally benefit all participating nations while avoiding the influence of either the U.S. or Soviet Union. PAGE 7

8 + Research Questions 1. Which industries are most compatible with international trade? 2. What policies can the conference adopt to enhance economic cooperation? 3. What obstacles could they face from economic superpowers? 4. How can these nations achieve long-lasting economic cooperation? 5. How do border disputes come into play when talking about economics? PAGE 8