Diplomacy is the practice of negotiating with foreign nations, governments and individuals. The art and science of diplomacy includes the use of tact, mutual respect, and understanding to resolve differences without violence or confrontation. It is also the process of communicating information about foreign nations, peoples and cultures to citizens of other countries. It is an essential tool for international relations, and a crucial part of the modern world order.
A negotiated settlement to a dispute is often referred to as a treaty. Treaties have been used to end wars, settle land disputes and estabilish new nations. The term “diplomacy” derives from the ancient Greek word for a document that was folded double, meaning “license” or “chart.” It later became identified with the practice of foreign policy, and its direct connection to documents lapsed (except in diplomatics, which is the study of authenticating old official documents).
An important component of modern diplomacy is multilateralism, which involves the participation of many states in a negotiation process to solve a problem. Other aspects of modern diplomacy include the promotion of human rights, cultural exchanges and promoting economic and environmental sustainability.
In the past, diplomacy was often an elite endeavor. Ambassadors were usually nobles, and embassy staff included a wide range of professionals who could be tasked with anything from espionage to educating locals about the culture of their host country. In times of hostility, diplomats would be withdrawn by their home countries for safety reasons or, in the case of the French Revolution and subsequent years of warfare, to express displeasure with a foreign government. The sanctity of the diplomat and their protection under diplomatic immunity has since become widely accepted and underpins much of modern international law.