what is unilateral

Unilateral refers to actions or decisions that are undertaken by one person or party alone, without the involvement or consideration of others. It can also relate to contracts where only one party is obligated to fulfill the terms. Unilateralism, on the other hand, is a doctrine or agenda that supports one-sided action, which may disregard other parties or express a commitment toward a direction that other parties may find disagreeable. Unilateralism stands in contrast with multilateralism, which involves pursuing foreign policy goals alongside allies. Unilateral action is often elected on behalf of independent leaders with nationalist tendencies and a strong distrust for the intentions of other countries intervention. Unilateralism may be preferred in instances when it is assumed to be the most efficient, such as in issues that can be solved without cooperation.