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unilateralism

Governments that believe in unilateralism think that they should wage war and enact foreign policy without consulting any other countries.

When a country uses unilateralism, it refuses to involve other nations in its foreign affairs. If a government wages war on a neighboring country without the advice of any outside groups, allies, or nearby countries, it's adopting a policy of unilateralism. Any action described this way is completely one-sided, and the roots of the word unilateralism reflect this — uni means "one" in Latin, and lateralism comes from latus, or "side."

Definitions of unilateralism
  1. noun
    the doctrine that nations should conduct their foreign affairs individualistically without the advice or involvement of other nations
    see moresee less
    types:
    one-way street
    unilateral interaction
    type of:
    doctrine, ism, philosophical system, philosophy, school of thought
    a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school
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