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Institutionalised Co-operation on International Communication: The International Administrative Unions as a Means of Governing Globalisation Processes

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Abstract

The nineteenth century witnessed restoration and reformation, the heyday of the nation state in Europe and inter-state cooperation at the same time. Driven by technical progress, communication across borders became an everyday phenomenon demanding transnational cooperation and regulation. Whereas in the political field irregular conferences turned out to be an appropriate instrument for governing transnational cooperation, a more constant and institutionalised matter proved to be adequate for technical cooperation.

In 1865, the International Telegraph Convention set up a relevant administrative union which merged in 1932 with the International Radiotelegraph Union from 1906 to form the newly labelled International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The parties to the ITU met regularly in so-called plenipotentiary conferences every 3 years. Already in 1875 the International Telegraph Convention was completely redrafted and the organisation’s structure changed. The contracting parties created an instrument that paved the way for a modern form of international standard setting. The new, simplified convention contained only general provisions of a policy nature that would remain in effect for an “indeterminate length of time” (Art. 20), detailed rules of a transitory and specific nature that might be subject to frequent changes with the progress of technology were put into the “Regulations for international service” (also known as the Telegraph Regulations). The newly established “administrative conferences” attended by technical experts from the member states were responsible for revising the regulations when necessary.

This was an early example of the transferral of power from sovereign nation states to an international organisation in order to govern transnational communication effectively. The administrative unions, as the first examples in modern history, show the ability of self-interested rational agents to overcome collective action dilemmas, i.e. situations where cooperation avoids sub-optimal outcomes for cooperators. The newly created institutions shaped a spirit of cooperation and the practice of standard setting proved that cooperation is effective. Furthermore, they show the spill-over effects of cooperation: increased cooperation in one area leads to increased cooperation in other areas.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For a general overview cf. Schulze 1998, pp. 185–250; with a focus on intergovernmental co-operation cf. Weiß 2009, pp. 13–90.

  2. 2.

    Cf. Kissinger 1957.

  3. 3.

    Baumgart 1987; Rosenne 1992.

  4. 4.

    Gruner 1992, pp. 49–95; Rumpler 1990.

  5. 5.

    Chamberlain 1923; Barberis 1995; Meißner 2000.

  6. 6.

    Codding 1964; Weber 2000.

  7. 7.

    Wiesner-Hanks 2006, pp. 402–437.

  8. 8.

    Langewiesche 2004; Veit-Brause 1978.

  9. 9.

    Lee 1991.

  10. 10.

    Hamerow 1972, pp. 100ff.

  11. 11.

    Schroeder 1996; Dülffer et al. 1990.

  12. 12.

    Howe 1997.

  13. 13.

    Ullrich 1997, pp. 182ff.

  14. 14.

    Langhorne 1981.

  15. 15.

    Zimmern (1923) 1929; Trentmann 2007.

  16. 16.

    Cf. Ewing, in this volume, pointing out both the disparities and similarities between European and dependent or less developed states with regard to ownership and use of cables and telegraphs as means of governing globalised or at least trans-regional processes or situations. Akami, in this volume, discusses the relation and governing processes between the metropolitan state and the colonies.

  17. 17.

    Cf. Müller-Pohl, in this volume, focusing on the specific trans-nationalism of “cable agents” on the one hand and the increasing nationalism since 1880 on the other.

  18. 18.

    Cf. Codding 1952.

  19. 19.

    A facsimile of this document can be accessed, “Convention télégraphique internationale de Paris (1865) et Règlement de service international (1865),” online: http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/oth/02/01/S02010000014002PDFF.pdf, 20.04.2010. All the documents referred to in this section can be easily viewed via ITU’s website (http://www.itu.int).

  20. 20.

    Cf. Müller-Pohl in this volume, who discusses the role of private companies taking part in this governing process.

  21. 21.

    Codding 1988; Magiera 1995; Noll 1995, 1999.

  22. 22.

    Cf. Jackson and Sørensen 2007; Schieder and Spindler 2006.

  23. 23.

    Hasenclever et al. 1997; Zangl 2010.

  24. 24.

    Keohane 1989, p. 167.

  25. 25.

    Thiemeyer, in this volume, shows this using the example of the Latin Monetary Union.

  26. 26.

    Mitrany 1933; Ibid. 1966.

  27. 27.

    Haas 1958.

  28. 28.

    Keohane 1984, p. 103.

  29. 29.

    Mearsheimer 1995, p. 26.

  30. 30.

    Kratochwil and Ruggie 1986, p. 764.

  31. 31.

    Wendt 1992, p. 417.

  32. 32.

    Zürn 1993.

  33. 33.

    Haas 1958; Schmitter 1970.

  34. 34.

    For a systematic approach cf. Tranholm-Mikkelsen 1991.

  35. 35.

    Keohane 1984, pp. 89–109.

  36. 36.

    Wolfrum 1995.

  37. 37.

    Murphy 1994, p. 7.

  38. 38.

    Cf. Weiß 2009, pp. 96ff., pp. 132ff.

  39. 39.

    Cf. Grewe 1984, pp. 535ff.

  40. 40.

    Cf. the paradigmatic work of Buckle 1857–1861; Thiemeyer, in this volume, underlines the crucial effects of cultural driving forces.

  41. 41.

    Zürn 1998; Teubner 1997; Risse 2003.

  42. 42.

    Grewe 1984; Verdross 1960.

  43. 43.

    Henn 2010; Volger 2010.

  44. 44.

    Österdahl 1992.

  45. 45.

    International Commission for the Study of Communication Problems, Communication and Society Today and Tomorrow 1980.

  46. 46.

    Hartwig 2010.

  47. 47.

    Norris 2001.

  48. 48.

    Uerpmann-Wittzack 2009.

  49. 49.

    Cf. “About ITU,” online: http://www.itu.int/net/about/mission.aspx, 14.05.2010.

  50. 50.

    Cf. Weiß 2009, pp. 129f. with further references.

  51. 51.

    For a good analysis cf. Steiner 2005.

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  1. Human Rights Centre, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany

    Norman Weiß

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  1. , History Department, Heidelberg University, Grabengasse 3-5, Heidelberg, 69117, Germany

    Isabella Löhr

  2. , EXC "Asia and Europe", Karl Jaspers Centre, Voßstraße, Gebäude 4400 2, Heidelberg, 69115, Germany

    Roland Wenzlhuemer

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Weiß, N. (2013). Institutionalised Co-operation on International Communication: The International Administrative Unions as a Means of Governing Globalisation Processes. In: Löhr, I., Wenzlhuemer, R. (eds) The Nation State and Beyond. Transcultural Research – Heidelberg Studies on Asia and Europe in a Global Context. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-32934-0_4

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