Foreign policy might matter for several reasons:
1. National Security: The primary reason foreign policy matters is to ensure national security. It involves coordinating with other countries to prevent global conflicts, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and other threats.
2. Economic Interests: Trade agreements, tariffs and economic sanctions are part of foreign policy that can enhance a country’s economic prosperity. Conversely, bad foreign policy decisions can lead to economic disadvantage.
3. Global Issues: Problems such as climate change, pandemics, human rights violation, world hunger, and renewable energy can’t be solved by a single nation. Hence, effective foreign policy is necessary to collaborate with other countries to address these issues.
4. Diplomatic Relations: A country’s standing in the world is also influenced by the effectiveness of its foreign policy. Strong diplomatic ties with other countries can lead to collaborations in different sectors and keep the peace.
5. Protecting Citizens Abroad: Besides protecting the homeland, foreign policy is also involved in safeguarding the interest of its citizens living or traveling abroad.
6. Cultural Exchange: Through foreign policy, countries can share and exchange cultures, promoting understanding and mitigating cultural conflicts on the global stage.
For all these reasons, foreign policy indeed matters not only to politicians and policymakers but also to everyday citizens. It helps to shape the world, affects global dynamics, and can impact our daily lives in unexpected ways.
