The concept of «national interest»: a study of the scientific literature

Abstract

Modern states, including Ukraine, must preserve and effectively pursue national interests. This requires an understanding of the concept of national interests, the study of different views and approaches to the definition, understanding of objectivity, characteristics and threats to national interests, i.e. a certain scientific and theoretical basis.

The concept of national interest in scientific circulation has appeared relatively recently. Only in 1935 the term was included into the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. Since then, the study of this issue remains relevant, as it is one of the foundations of the conceptual development of the problem of democracy.

The national interest in democracies is first and foremost the generalized interest of the people who form a political nation in accordance with existing procedures. The formation of national interest involves the coordination of the interests of all citizens of the country, although sometimes it comes down to taking into account the views of the most numerous social groups.

The foundation for the development of theories of national interests is the work of the German scientist G. Morgenthau. He defines that the national interest is a universal law of foreign policy of states, so the policy can be called moral only  if it follows the requirements of the national interest.

R.T. Kovaliuk notes that the concept of "national interests" is an integral part of both the national security system and geopolitics. The official definition of the term "national interests" is set out in the Law of Ukraine "On National Security of Ukraine". It states that "the national interests of Ukraine are the vital interests of man, society and the state, the implementation of which ensures the state sovereignty of Ukraine, its progressive democratic development, as well as safe living conditions and welfare of its citizens."

Thus, the category "national interest" should be understood as the needs and values of the state, which should be realized in the international arena, and the main goal of which is not only the full development of the state, but also the formation of state power.