As transformações do pensamento estratégico marítimo nos séculos XX e XXI: construindo a securitização do mar

Abstract

The object of this research is the maritime strategic thought; understood as the production of knowledge about the sea as a political and strategic instrument. Enabled by Comte´s positivism and the social Darwinism of the late nineteenth century, and equally shaped by the realpolitik political practice, in Henry Kissinger´s terms; Alfred Thayer Mahan and Sir Julian Stafford Corbett consolidated the maritime strategic thought of the twentieth century. These authors framed the sea as part of a discourse endorsing an affirmative posture of the state, both as the protagonist actor in the international system and in pursuing its political goals by the use of force. That was the strategic maritime paradigm from the Russo Japanese War to the Cold War. However, in the twenty-first century, new political and epistemic trends were brought about by the development of technology and information. As Geoffrey Till highlights, technology reshaped the attributes of the sea, emphasizing its relevance not only as a means of dominion, but also as a medium of transportation and means of resource. Likewise, surpassing the mere notion of cyberspace, the political and strategic importance of information consolidated what Arquilla and Ronfelt called the noosphere, that is, the realm of the mind. The noosphere has emerged inasmuch as huge amount of data are being collected from the entire world, crafting, thus, a global consciousness. Therefore, this research was aimed at comprehending the new trends in the maritime strategic thought, considering the changes taking place in the twenty-first century. It could be noted that political practices can no longer relinquish the noosphere and its ideational impact on international relations, much less the centrality of the sea as a pivotal element of the international system. This research verified the emergence of the noopolitik complementing the hitherto traditional realpolitik. Noopolitik´s focuses on cooperation, collaboration and the strategic use of information by soft power. That could encompass a way of dealing with strategy focused on securitization, like Buzan and Weaver theorised about. Thus, following Foucault, based on the hypothesis that strategic discourse induces practices and that there was a discontinuity in this respect, a shift could be noted. Analysing states’ maritime strategy throughout via its doctrines, it could be corroborated that, from discourses about the insecurity of the sea towards the securitization of the state; the twenty-first century witnessed the states and the many contemporary international actors producing discourses towards the securitization of the sea, now regarded as a crucial global common. Existential threat like pirates, terrorists, pollution and illegal maritime traffic are tackled by collaborative strategic practices complementing and existing altogether with the traditional practices. Hence, the securitization of the sea was the main transformation of the twenty-first century´s maritime strategic thought. This constructivist maritime strategic view can help navies and international actors fostering its diplomatic role and dealing with contemporary threats in an effective way, specially countries like Brazil.