Assessing the “Multilateral” Nature of the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference: An Analysis of Indian Participation

Abstract

The 1944 Bretton Woods conference, which laid the foundations of the current global economic and financial architecture, is described as an early instance of multilateral diplomacy. However, this experiment in ‘multilateralism’ was qualified by the asymmetries among the participating delegations. The presence of the ‘Global South’ at Bretton Woods does not necessarily indicate an actual impact on the outcomes of the conference. India—then an ‘emerging state’ aspiring to play a significant role in the post war global economy—was represented at the conference by a delegation that was seen to be independent-minded and vocal, with a clear stand on several seminal issues under discussion. The conference did mark the dawn of an era in multilateral diplomacy that recognized the growing need to accommodate the voices of new players.