Definition of NEUTRALITY
NEUTRALITY Noun
Neutrality is primarily used as a noun, referring to the state or policy of not supporting or taking sides in a conflict, dispute, or controversy.
As a noun, neutrality denotes the condition of being impartial, unbiased, or not aligned with any particular faction, ideology, or interest group.
Political Neutrality: In politics, neutrality often refers to a stance adopted by states or international organizations to refrain from participating in military alliances, conflicts, or disputes between other nations.
Ethical and Moral Neutrality: Beyond politics, neutrality can also describe a personal or ethical position of objectivity and detachment, allowing for fair judgment or decision-making without bias or preconceived notions.
International Relations: The concept of neutrality plays a crucial role in international diplomacy, facilitating mediation, conflict resolution, and humanitarian assistance in regions affected by conflict or crisis.
Legal and Institutional Neutrality: Within legal and institutional contexts, neutrality underscores the importance of fair procedures, impartial adjudication, and equal treatment for all parties involved.
Challenges and Criticisms: Critics argue that maintaining neutrality can be challenging in practice, as it may require balancing conflicting interests or values while upholding principles of justice and human rights.
Neutrality in Media and Reporting: Media neutrality refers to the objective and unbiased reporting of news and information, free from editorial bias or partisan influence, to provide audiences with accurate and balanced coverage.
In conclusion, neutrality encompasses a range of meanings from political impartiality and ethical objectivity to legal fairness and journalistic integrity. It serves as a foundational principle in various fields, aiming to promote peace, justice, and mutual understanding in complex and contentious situations.
Examples of NEUTRALITY in a sentence
- Neutrality in conflict allows for impartial mediation.
- The country maintains a policy of neutrality in international disputes.
- Journalists strive for neutrality in reporting the news.
- The organization’s neutrality ensures fair treatment for all parties.
- Neutrality in negotiations helps build trust among stakeholders.
- The treaty emphasizes the importance of neutrality in humanitarian aid.
- Maintaining neutrality is crucial for peacekeeping missions.
- Political neutrality is essential for effective governance.
Origin of NEUTRALITY
The term neutrality has deep historical and linguistic roots, reflecting its significance in political and diplomatic contexts.
- Etymology and Origins: The word neutrality originates from the Latin word “neutralis,” which is a combination of “neuter” meaning “neither” and “alis,” a suffix denoting a characteristic. The term evolved through Old French as “neutralité” before entering Middle English as neutrality, indicating a state of not supporting either side in a conflict.
- Historical Development: In medieval and early modern Europe, neutrality began to be recognized as a formal stance that nations could adopt during conflicts, especially during periods of frequent warfare among European states. This allowed neutral countries to avoid the economic and human costs associated with war.
- Legal and Diplomatic Usage: The concept of neutrality became more formally codified in international law during the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly with the Hague Conventions. These laws outlined the rights and duties of neutral states, such as not providing support to warring parties and allowing humanitarian efforts.
- Modern Application: Today, neutrality is a critical concept in international relations and diplomacy. Countries like Switzerland have famously maintained neutrality as a core principle of their foreign policy, which has helped them to avoid conflicts and become centers for diplomatic negotiations and international organizations.
The term neutrality highlights the strategic and ethical considerations nations adopt to maintain impartiality and peace, shaping diplomatic relationships and international law.
Synonyms
- Impartiality
- Neutrality
- Non-alignment
- Objectivity
- Fairness
- Detachment
- Unbiasedness
- Neutrality
Antonyms
- Bias
- Partisanship
- Partiality
- Prejudice
- Favoritism
- Inclination
- Preference
- One-sidedness
Related
- Diplomacy
- International relations
- Neutrality laws
- Mediation
- Peacekeeping
- Conflict resolution
- Disengagement
- Impartial mediator
🌐 🇬🇧 NEUTRALITY in other languages
| Spanish 🇪🇸 | Neutralidad |
| French 🇫🇷 | Neutralité |
| German 🇩🇪 | Neutralität |
| Chinese (simpl) 🇨🇳 | 中立 |
| Chinese (trad) 🇨🇳 | 中立性 |
| Italian 🇮🇹 | Neutralità |
| Portuguese 🇵🇹 | Neutralidade |
| Dutch 🇳🇱 | Neutraliteit |
| Swedish 🇸🇪 | Neutralitet |
| Norwegian 🇳🇴 | Nøytralitet |
| Finnish 🇫🇮 | Neutraalisuus |
| Romanian 🇷🇴 | Neutralitate |
| Polish 🇵🇱 | Neutralność |
| Hungarian 🇭🇺 | Semlegesség |
| Czech 🇨🇿 | Neutralita |
| Bulgarian 🇧🇬 | Неутралност |
| Ukrainian 🇺🇦 | Нейтралітет |
| Russian 🇷🇺 | Нейтралитет |
| Turkish 🇹🇷 | Tarafsızlık |
| Azerbaijani 🇦🇿 | neytrallıq |
| Armenian 🇦🇲 | Չեզոքություն |
| Arabic 🇸🇦 | الحياد |
| Hebrew 🇮🇱 | אֲדִישׁוּת |
| Urdu 🇵🇰 | غیر جانبداری |
| Farsi/Persian 🇮🇷 | بی طرفی |
| Hindi 🇮🇳 | तटस्थता |
| Bengaleli/se 🇧🇩 | নিরপেক্ষতা |
| Marathi 🇮🇳 | तटस्थता |
| Telugu 🇮🇳 | తటస్థత |
| Tamil 🇮🇳 | நடுநிலைமை |
| Gujarati 🇮🇳 | તટસ્થતા |
| Kannada 🇮🇳 | ತಟಸ್ಥತೆ |
| Odia (Orya) 🇮🇳 | ନିରପେକ୍ଷତା | |
| Malayalam 🇮🇳 | നിഷ്പക്ഷത |
| Punjabi 🇮🇳 | ਨਿਰਪੱਖਤਾ |
| Sinhala/ese 🇱🇰 | මධ්යස්ථභාවය |
| Nepali 🇳🇵 | तटस्थता |
| Burmese 🇲🇲 | ကြားနေရေး |
| Thai 🇹🇭 | ความเป็นกลาง |
| Vietnamese 🇻🇳 | Tính trung lập |
| Malay 🇲🇾 | Berkecuali |
| Indonesian 🇮🇩 | Kenetralan |
| Tagalog 🇵🇭 | Neutralidad |
| Japanese 🇯🇵 | 中立 |
| Korean 🇰🇷 | 중립 |
| Oromo 🇪🇹 | Giddu galeessa ta’uu |
| Somali 🇸🇴 | dhexdhexaadnimo |
| Amharic 🇪🇹 | ገለልተኝነት |
| Swahili 🇹🇿 | Kuegemea upande wowote |
| Yoruba 🇳🇬 | Aisoju |