Diplomacy, History of

Diplomacy is the established method of influencing the decisions and conduct of governments and peoples by negotiating and other actions short of war, violence, or of any conflict. Modern diplomatic practices are a product of the post-Renaissance European state system. Historically, diplomacy meant the conduct of official (usually bilateral) relations between sovereign states. By the 20th century the diplomatic practices pioneered in Europe had been adopted throughout the world, and diplomacy had expanded to cover summit meetings and other international conferences, parliamentary diplomacy, the international activities of supranational and subnational entities, unofficial diplomacy by non-governmental elements, and the work of international civil servants. This book, therefore, discusses the nature of diplomacy, its history, and the ways in which modern diplomacy is conducted, including the selection and training of diplomats and the organisation of diplomatic bodies.