Your country, your rules
Discussion question | This is for ages 10 to 13
Imagine you are the leader of a country. What rules or laws would you create about foreign policy?
Foreign policy is how a country deals with other countries, for example, who it trades with, who it forms alliances with, and when it chooses to stay neutral.
For example:
- Would your country always join alliances?
- Would it stay neutral?
- Would it only help allies under certain conditions?
You might want to structure your answer like this:
One foreign policy rule I would create is [your rule]. I would choose this because [your reason]. This matters because [why you think this is important].
Before you post, read another student’s rule and say whether you agree or would choose something different.
Comments (24)
My country's policy would focus on fairness, safety, and peace. We would only join alliances that share our values and don't force us into conflicts we disagree with. In situations where a conflict has nothing to do with us or seems unfair, we would stay neutral but still speak up for human rights. We would help allies only when they are defending themselves and have tried peaceful solutions first, offering support, aid and awareness is what we'll do. Our trade rules would favour countries that protect workers and the environment, and we would pause trade with nations who break those standards. Overall, we would always try negotiation and cooperation before pressure or force, acting like a responsinble member of the global community.
One foreign policy rule I would create is that my country would form alliances only when they promote peace, mutual respect, and real cooperation. I would choose this because alliances can be helpful, but joining everyone could cause unnecessary conflicts or loss of independence. This matters because a country should protects its own interests while also maintaining good relationships with other nations.
If I were the leader of a country, I would most certainly join an alliance. Joining an alliance would create a sense of stability for my country, as well as providing support if we were in a time of need. However, my country would not always join every alliance, only those that my government and I would know would support us fully, as we would to them if they were in a time of need.
I think though, that even when being in an alliance, you would have to look at the circumstance as well. If a country in my alliance had dreadful floods that destroyed all of the sources of food, as well as damaging homes and schools, my country would, without a doubt, step in and help them. On the contrary, if that same country accused its neighbouring country of something, and then unfairly declared war on them, I do not think that I would support them. They would have inflicted the event on themselves, and so, in that circumstance I would stay more neutral, despite being in an alliance with them.
To conclude, I think that my country would most certainly join an alliance. My country would always step in to help, if a country was truly in need and not just creating unfair conflict for a silly reason. As well as this, we would always join alliances that we know and trust to help us as we would with them.
If I were the leader of a country, one foreign policy rule I would create is “support peace first, power second.” This means my country would always try diplomacy, dialogue, and cooperation before using pressure, sanctions, or force. We would build friendships with many countries through trade, education, and shared global goals, but we would only join alliances if they clearly promote peace, protect human rights, and benefit our citizens in the long term. I would choose this rule because rushing into alliances or conflicts often causes more harm than good and can trap countries in problems that are not truly theirs.
This rule matters because foreign policy is not just about showing strength; it is about responsibility. Decisions made with other countries can affect people’s lives for generations, including the economy, safety, and global reputation of a nation. By focusing on peace first, my country would reduce the chances of unnecessary wars while still standing up for fairness and justice when it truly matters.
After reading another student’s rule about always supporting allies no matter what, I understand their point about loyalty. However, I would choose something different. I believe support should depend on the situation. If an ally is acting unfairly or harming innocent people, my country should speak up instead of blindly agreeing. True leadership means making ethical choices, not just following others.
A great justification of your choice. Well done!
If I were the leader of a country, I would make one main rule: always choose peace before power.
I would choose this because real strength is not about fighting — it’s about solving problems without hurting people. Talking, negotiating, and understanding other countries would always come first. This matters because war affects innocent families, not just governments.
Another rule I would create is: join alliances carefully, not blindly.
I wouldn’t say yes to every partnership. I would only work with countries that respect fairness, peace, and human rights. This matters because alliances should protect our people, not pull us into unnecessary conflicts.
I would also believe in helping other countries during disasters, even if we don’t agree politically. Humanity should always come before ego.
If another student said we should always join powerful alliances for safety, I would respectfully disagree. Safety is important, but independence and wise decision-making are even more important.
In the end, my foreign policy would be simple: choose peace, act with fairness, and never forget our humanity.
One foregn policy principle I would establish is that my country would help other countries in situations of war, crisis, or injustice. I would choose this because I believe countries should not be indifferent to the suffering of other; international solidarity can save lives.
Another principle would be that my country would form alliances to cooperate on various issues, such as peace, education, and the economy. Acting together is more effective than acting alone.
Finally, regarding whether I would only help allies, the answer is that my country would help any country in need. In my view, aid must be based on justice, not just political interests. My country should defend its principles, not merely its alliances.
My country's policy would be to welcome countries at war and country's who may be going through a hard things at that time. If their country was ok and had no wars or anything I don't think i would let them in because they do not need to come to our country. If it was just for living and they are only coming because they are bored of their country I would only let them if they had someone to live, had a stable job and was earning money for themselves and the goverment wouldnt have to pay them they would be able to come.
BYE TOPICAL TALKERS!
If I became a leader of a country, I would create different types of rules.
One foreign policy rule i would create is, my country would stay peacefull and friendly with everyone. And we will stay friends with all countries and help them in their different difficulties.
I would choose this because if i keep friendship just with powerfull countrys they might became our enemys. And so that we might get involved in a war, which we dont want or think about. If we make a good relation with other countries, we can trade with more countries and learn to use several new technology from others.
This matter because, the main goal of foreign policy is to make our country people safe and develop our country. When there is less conflict the goverment can spend more money to School, hospital or proverty instead of spending money on war.And if there is any disaster in my country other countrys will come to help me as well.
If I were a Leader of a country the main policy i would create is Students and Science First.I would choose this because most Countries today spent so much time and money on Weapons but I think our alliance should be about helping People Learn.Under My Rule,My Country would only form close partnership with Nations that agree to share their best ideas for medicine and protecting nature.This matters because things like Climate change or new disease that don't care about any Border. By making "Sharing Knowledge" Our law make sure that being Our Ally means working together to Save the world for next sixty years. I would also make another rule called Digital Peace since everyone is connected on internet now, we would help any ally to protect their websites from hackers and also prevent cyber bullying . My Country would stay neutral in the wars that sounds unfair but we would surely support a side where there is justice.To me being a Good Leader means using our resource to figure out things like How tomake sure every child goes to school and have enough food. Our trade would be open to everyone but would gove better deals to countries that prove that they respect their young worker's and keep their environment healthy.I think it is better to be a Country that everyone want to learn, rather than a country everyone afraid of.I belive true power comes from kindness and helping others grow. It's about building a world that is healthy, have good education and supports justice. Would you rather spen money on an ally that give gun or helps you? Thank you!
If I were the leader of a nation, one foreign policy guideline that I would establish is: “Partnerships must create mutual growth.” This means that my nation would enter into partnerships with other nations only if there is a fair benefit gained by both of us in terms of trade, technology, education, or environmental protection. We would also focus on partnerships that would address global challenges such as climate change, pandemics, and poverty.
I would select this guideline because history has shown us that if partnerships are not fair, they could lead to conflicts and instability in the world. If nations feel that they are being taken advantage of or that their voices are not being heard, it could lead to a breakdown in global peace and economic development.
This is important because foreign policy affects how a country is perceived in the international community and how secure its future will be. A country that stands for equality and mutual progress is more likely to establish long-term alliances and earn the respect of the international community. Through mutual partnerships, my country will ensure that its interests are protected while also working towards a more stable and cooperative international community.
Some may prefer staying neutral in order to avoid conflicts. But I would pick something else. Sometimes, being totally neutral means that a country is not paying attention to important issues in the international community. My country should remain peaceful but also actively engaged in solving international problems when it can make a difference.
One foreign policy rule i would create is that if a country needs help we should give them the help they need and we should at least try to make the people that live there safe and welcomed to our country if they decide to change country's because of war we should welcome them to our country as i belive when some one needs help whoever that may be we should help as much as we can because as a cathlioc i belive everyone should be treated as we wanted to be i know that because in our school i repeat it every morning before i get to school: be kind be loving be a nice guy thats all from me bye
If I were the leader of a country, my primary focus would undeniably be on fostering peace. I'd actively seek alliances with other nations, working diligently to sidestep any potential conflicts. After all, squabbles can really drain a country's resources, and that's something I'd definitely want to avoid. Furthermore, I'd strive to bolster trade relations with other countries. This approach would help generate revenue, which could then be funneled into improving the country and ensuring that its citizens have access to essential resources. Also, my country boasts numerous captivating destinations that would likely attract tourists. To encourage punctual departures, I'd implement a system where visitors who leave within their visa's timeframe would receive a modest 2% discount. Conversely, those who overstay their welcome would incur a 4% penalty. This method is designed to motivate visitors to adhere to their schedules, thus enjoying the benefit of a discount or avoiding any financial repercussions.
First of all, I would like to be a country president. I would make my country great and ideal. I will provide people with their needs and make life easy for all of the citizens.
As a country president, I must care about citizens and offer them what they need. Water is life consequently everyone must have clean water to survive. Also, I would provide people who are homeless with suitable shelters to live in. Furthermore, I would make the prices of the goods marvellous for everyone. For young people, I would give them their own democracy moreover I would be willing to change the election system to make the voting from 16 years old. I will also make sport academies and clubs for talented young people in sport so that they can have the chance to participate in the Olympics.
In addition, I would help poor countries with aids. Every human being should have his or her own rights. I would alliance with countries too since they can help me in solving severe problems like climate change, pollution and wars. Alliance can make countries secure and safe for example, if my country had an earthquake, other countries with alliance can help me. Alliance can make me gain more experience from other countries and it can boost my economy.
If I was the president of Egypt, I would focus on tourism and education also I would make alliances with countries in the middle east and Asia to enhance my regional stability.
To conclude, the most thing I would concentrate on is to spread peace and security in my country to make children, teenagers and even babies live peacefully.
What do you think?
If I were the current leader of Egypt, then one foreign policy I would create is to make sure that Egypt is both culturally and strategically independent. I believe that we should not bind ourselves to one bloc (BRICS or NATO for example) but to employ what I like to call 'positive neutrality'. This positive neutrality is basically just non-alignment. There's that saying: 'If you're not with me, you're against me.' That isn't necessarily true. If you isolate yourself too much, you end up like North Korea. If you open up yourself too much then your internal affairs and politics will no longer be yours due to the increasing amounts of foreign influence.
Egypt's geopolitical location at the crossroads of Africa, Asia, and Europe alongside its control of the Suez Canal makes it so that being too ideological would lead to this geography being exploited. Neutrality also increases trade, since if you can trade with everybody without sanctions or restrictions then trade becomes far more profitable. Why I believe this way is because true stability is what builds great nations. And being stable doesn't just entail having the most allies or budgets or aid, it entails how you use these things to your advantage. Being stuck in a bloc with VERY specific rules and very specific circumstances does not work unless you are already a large country. This is why countries like Singapore thrive; it's about striking a balance between ideology and identity as well as practicality.
My country policy would be to go through a peace treaty in other to prevent different kinds of international conflicts this includes sending qualified doctors to help in the healing of those who almost lost their lives in wars , forming peaceful negotiations with the country to help develop the country, offer to train their students formally to create a better future if this is my country policy it would make the two countries to be allies making a peaceful international relationship
If I were a leader of a country one foreign policy rule I would create is my countries alliances will promote peace , fairness and justice. I would chose this so my alliances won't stir trouble and so I wouldn't be blamed for there ignorance. I would friend countries that show perseverance with trade, education and peace thriving in love and kindness, countries who promote human rights and fairness in daily living. I would rush into creating alliances with regions as I don't get to see who they really are.
This matters because foreign policies is not only about togetherness and strength it shows responsibility in what you do or say. By making decisions to early might cause the citizen of the alliances the economy and the global reputation to grow or fail. But by focusing on justice peace and fairness would help the world to stop wars and conflict that never should have happened and it won't by being legitimately caring and loving towards other countries.
When I read another students rule it showed my how loyalty can depend on if alliance is acting fair or unfair as if the alliance is not showing justice and not caring for fellow citizens wellbeing you shouldn't agree with them you should think about if you should side with them and in this matter you shouldn't. On the other hand if your alliance is being fair treating people with care and other countries feel they should be focusing on themselves you should side with them as they are doing the right thing and you should help stop others from criticizing the care for other regions. For example the USA criticism to NATO.
If I owned a country, I would avoid any war or alliances as staying neutral is safer. If I made an alliance with, say, Ukraine, I think Russia would then try to start war with my country for siding against them. I would always try debating if another country tried to start war. If someone wanted to build an alliance with me and maybe a continent or something, I would disagree, but that could also lead to war from the feeling of abandonment.
If I asked another country to start an alliance with me, and they turned me down, I wouldn’t start a war or do anything to them, because as a leader, you have to make decisions and have opinions on what you agree with.
I also think that if the leader didn’t start war to a country that didn’t join the alliance, maybe their country would be mad at them (the leader or prime minister) for being ‘nice’ to a country that might be against them in a different alliance or association. Say 3 countries were in an alliance, one of them invited my country without asking the others, and I agreed, the other 2 countries would get mad at us and I’d start an alliance with the country that included me. If I disagreed though, I think the country that invited mine would then tell the other 2 and all three of them would turn against me.
Thank you.
One foreign policy rule I would create is that my country would only join alliances that promote peace, human rights and mutual respect. I would choose this because countries should not only care about power and strength, but should also support and defend to create possible alliances. Keeping peace and trust with another country can elevate peace and prevent conflict rather than escalating it. We would only join alliances that don’t force us into aggressive conflicts we don’t agree with.
This rule matters because deciding the rules and decisions for your country is a huge responsibility, which can affect countless people with just one small act and change. One reckless decision can make the countries reputation crumble. Sending aid and money can keep the alliance and can potentially support our country in hard times. We will still advocate about the rights and responsibilities everyone should have, but keep low and silent with expectations and guidance.
My country will always try negotiation before aggression and violence and to the countries who oppose against that standard rule, we will cut that alliance. In conclusion, my country will certainly join alliances, but will absolutely pause them if it goes against our policies and values. We will always stand up for another country and assist them to keep a secure a trustable bond.
One foreign policy rule my country would have is that it would not stay neutral in specific international situations such as famine, natural disasters or wars. If a country can help by giving humanitarian aid to others who are suffering, it should do it since then, personally, I would see it as they are being ignored and sometimes it is not the intention.
Moreover, it depends on the alliances we form because the objective must be to find peaceful solutions to conflicts, not to promote wars.
This matters since we could help many people, promote peace, education and cooperation. These issues should be manage with responsibility, not only to protect others, also to protect ourselves.
If I were the leader of a nation, I would create one powerful foreign policy rule called the "3Ps: Peace, Prosperity, and Progress". Every international decision must pass this test. If an alliance, trade deal, or military action does not protect peace, strengthen prosperity, and ensure long term progress, we will not support it. I choose this rule because history proves that power without peace leads to destruction, wealth without fairness creates inequality, and growth without responsibility damages the future.
After World War II, countries formed the United Nations to prevent another great global disaster. That was the world choosing peace. Former rivals later built economic partnerships that replaced conflict with cooperation, proving prosperity is stronger than war. And when nations agreed to global climate action, they showed that true progress means protecting tomorrow, not just profiting today. Under my leadership, we would join alliances only if they prevent war, trade only if both sides grow, remain neutral when justice is absent, and offer aid because humanity matters more than influence. The 3Ps would be our compass. Not power over the world, but purpose for the world!
Through this policy, I will ensure that I will not stretch my hand to dominate other nations, but to join hands and grow together!
So, it's about creating a world where Peace protects, Prosperity uplifts, and Progress inspires every generation!
One foreign policy rule I would create is that my country only join alliances that promote peace, security for everyone and equality; respect international laws and protect human rights. I would choose this because alliances should protect the country without forcing it to fight in wars. This matters because it could keep the country safe, while also helping to maintain peace and equality around the world.
Another foreign policy rule I would create is that my country would work to make sure that everyone has access to education and healthcare. I would choose this because they are basic human rights and everyone deserves the opportunity to live a healthy and informed life. This matters because healthier and better educated societies make a more stable, peaceful and successful countries.
If I became the leader of any countries there Will be many rules ror upgrading,safety and giving everyone their rights
1- I will help most of the poor people for getting a home and a job
2- I will put signs for the maximum speed in every place in the streets which can help for giving people more safer community
3- I will sign a contract for every application to be free in my country which also can help poor and creative people in showing their talents ,which will upgrade my country in rank and knowledge
One foreign policy rule I would create for Egypt is: Egypt should cooperate with all major powers, but never depend completely on one side.
I would choose this because Egypt’s strength comes from its location and influence. Being open to different partners means more trade, more investment and more political flexibility. But full dependence on one bloc could limit our freedom to make decisions based on our own national interest.
This matters because foreign policy should protect Egypt’s stability first. Stability brings tourism, protects the Suez Canal, strengthens the economy and keeps regional influence strong. A country can be friendly with many nations — without belonging fully to one camp.
At the same time, I think neutrality should not mean silence. Egypt should stay balanced, but also speak clearly when its security, water rights or regional stability are affected. Being strategic is good — but being passive is not.
I think that if I were the leader of a country my main rule foreign police should be to prioritize cooperation over competition instead of focusing only on our own boarders I would create laws that make it easier to share technology and medical breakthroughs with other nations I believe that being a strong leaders means helping the global community stay safe and healthy boy making rules that encourage as to work together on big challenges like climate change we can ensure a better future for everyone my goal should be to lead a country that is known for being a helpful and reliable partner to the rest of the world.