The Third World and N o n- alignment in the 1960s

1. The Third World and Non-alignment in the 1960s • As colonial empires disappeared, newly independent states that gained nationhood after World War II still found themselves economically dependent on the industrialized, wealthier Western states and caught between the tensions of great-power rivalry. The conclusion of the Second World War in 1945 brought neither peace nor actual war but almost continuous international crisis as the East and the West struggled for advantage in the Cold War.

2. The economic needs of the Third World states made them vulnerable to foreign influences and pressures. Much needed resources for economic development came through economic ties and trade with United States and the Soviet Union, which blamed each other to capture the political support of the newly independent countries. To support developmental projects, governments sought loans and technical assistance from the great powers, many of which were their former colonial overlords. While seeking such ties, the emerging nations have sought to loosen the dominance by the leading industrialized nations.

3. Yet, some emerging states in Africa and Asia were especially sensitive to the dangers of neo-colonialism, made possible by the necessary importation of business managers and technicians, dependence upon imported military supplies, and reliance upon set patterns of trade and outside sources of investment. Closely tied with the fear of neo-colonialism was the determination of Third World nations to avoid becoming pawns in the East-West competition.

4. The diplomatic policy of non-alignment regarded the Cold War as a tragic and frustrating face of international affairs. • The non-alignment held that peaceful coexistence with the great powers was both preferable and possible. India's Jawaharlal Nehru saw neutralism as a means of forging a "third force" among non-aligned nations andthe Egyptian leader Jamal Abdel Nasser maneuvered between the superpowers in pursuit of his goals.

5. The most famous Third World meeting was the Bandung Conference of African and Asian nations in 1955 to discuss mutual interests and strategy, which ultimately led to the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement in 1961. The conference was attended by twenty-nine countries representing more than half of the population of the world. Anti-imperialism, economic development, and cultural cooperation were the principal topics. • There was a strong push in the Third World to secure a voice in international relations, especially the United Nations, and to receive recognition of their new sovereign status.

6. Initially consisting of 51 members, the UN General Assembly had increased to 126 by 1970. The dominance of Western members dropped to 40 percent of the membership, with Afro-Asian states holding the balance of power. The ranks of the General Assembly swelled rapidly as former colonies won independence, thus forming a substantial voting bloc with members from Latin America. Anti-imperialist sentiment, reinforced by the Soviets, often translated into anti-Western positions, but the primary agenda among non-aligned countries was to secure social and economic assistance measures.