Taking statecraft seriously: Allan Gyngell’s legacy in reimagining Australian foreign policy

Abstract

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 In this speech, Allan described statecraft as ‘the matching of ends and means, the prioritising of objectives and instruments’. He asked, "What sort of national capabilities will Australia need in the fragmented period ahead and how can we develop them? Obviously, we need the economic strength that gives us weight in the world and the capacity to support an effective military force. We need to preserve the social resilience that keeps Australians united behind fundamental democratic values. That is the business of statecraft. Foreign policy draws on all the available instruments of the state, and many that lie in the broader community."2 As David Kilcullen defined it in 2007: ‘Statecraft is the art of defining and pursuing national objectives in their domestic and international contexts. It is larger than domestic or international relations, and broader than national security, economic or social policy. It is a (perhaps un-stated) conceptual construct of the individual, the nation, the state and all their internal and external relationships, which unifies approaches to all areas of policy. Notions of statecraft inform a conception of ‘Australia’ in the minds of individuals that drives actions across many disparate fields. Effective statecraft is based upon the interplay of all sources of national power – including political, military, economic, scientific and technological, social, industrial and informational power. Its external aspect is expressed in four basic dimensions of influence: diplomatic, informational, military and economic.’Additional informationNotes on contributorsHugh PiperHugh Piper was Program Lead at the Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy & Defence Dialogue (AP4D).Melissa Conley TylerMelissa Conley Tyler is Executive Director at the Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy & Defence Dialogue (AP4D).