ABSTRACT
In the last chapter we looked at some general criticisms of the present institutions and methods of diplomacy. We now need to consider the effect of the expansion of our states system on the workings of contemporary diplomacy. A large number of newly created nonEuropean states have recently been incorporated into the diplomatic dialogue. The resulting great increase in numbers has come in addition to, and has compounded, the previous expansion of the European system into a global one. This phenomenon is sometimes called the proliferation of states in the system, which is a convenient shorthand term.
