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Theories of International Relations I: Liberalism
I43011 Fei Cao 2018/04/09
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Index The introduce of theories on IR The dispute on liberalism
Liberalism is still far to go on global scale The diverse thoughts on war Why war has become unordinary between liberal states The core idea of nineteenth-century liberalism Familiar core ideas of liberalism didn’t disappear after WWI Idea of G. John Ikenberry The challenge liberalism faces
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The introduce of theories on IR :
Realism is regarded as the dominant theory of IR Liberalism played an active and effective role to alter history and the cognition of decision-makers.
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HISTORY After WWI: cognition of liberalism had an effect on administrative experts, policy- makers, and public thoughts. The end of WWII (the birth of us): the belief of liberalism came to reproduce Cold war: the expectant sign of revival was eliminated speedily. In 1990s, state leaders declared that an arrangement of world order. And thoughtful scholars supplied supportive reasons on liberal ideas over all other ideologies. After 9/11, as the USA and its allies had willing to conduct damaging and costly wars against other states. The western dominant order to be doubted.
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The dispute on Liberalism:
Liberal values and civil conceptions were coming to deeply impact in Europe and north america, but they were lack justice and uneven in other areas. Realists argued that as it is possible to have no progress, no law, and no justice where there is no common power. Liberalists argue against that power politics is the creation of ideas, which means politics can be changed as ideas can be changed
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START TO ACCESS LIBERALISM
However, liberalism was not widely accepted for now in worldwide politics, liberalism still have opportunities to reproduce itself in future. The belief in the possibility of progress is crucial to apply liberalism into world politics, besides, four-dimensional definition can be a start to discuss on taking liberal thinking in world politics.
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Four-dimensions: equality:citizens are equal by law and have the same basic rights authority: government should be elected by the people liberty: citizens are allowed to own property and everything they produce and everything has ability to produce free market: a market driven economy with minimal interference from bureaucracy, regulations and control.
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Liberalism is still far to go on global scale
Liberalism on globe analogy to the thinking on individuals. States possess various characteristics. Aggressive vs receptive(State has their identity. All states have rights to operate universalization, rights not to be interfered in their domestic affairs by other states). Meanwhile, in liberalism the legitimate rights of liberty of the state is supposed to be compromised by the need for assembled action for certain purposes, considering of the priority related to the coordinating role of international organizations.
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The diverse thoughts on war:
Liberals had agreed on the realism of the war is a reverting character of the anarchic system. However, realists refuse to classify anarchy as the cause of war. Liberals consider imperialism as the causes of war, others elements in the unbalanced power, and also other elements in the problem of autocratic governance. Liberals believe that this situation might be corrective by cooperative security and well-managed governance
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Immanuel Kant & Jeremy Bentham were two of the leading liberals of the Enlightenment
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Immanuel Kant (1724 –1804) Influential German idealist philosopher
Kant maintained that one ought to think autonomously, free of the dictates of external authority. Kant: According to democratic peace idea, Kant argued that if the decision to use force were taken by the people, rather than by the prince, then the frequency of conflicts would be drastically reduced.
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Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) English philosopher
Bentham believed that federal states were able to transform their identity from one based on conflicting interests to a more peaceful federation. Bentham: between the interests of nations there is nowhere any real conflict.
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CAUSES OF UNORDINARY WAR BTW LIBERAL STATES
The democratic peace thesis: democracies are hesitant to engage in armed conflict with other identifies democracies. That liberal states tend to be in relations of amity with other liberal states An alternative explanation for the democratic peace thesis might be that liberal states tend to be wealthy, and therefore have less to gain (and more to lose) by engaging in conflicts than poorer authoritarian states. Examples: canada & usa (seek for political and economic systems). Mexica & cuba(history of friendly relations)
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the core idea of nineteenth-century liberalism
Free trade would create a more peaceful world order Trade brings mutual gains to all the players, regardless of their size or the status of their economies Free trade challenged the hegemonic power. Free trade brought disproportionate gains between dominant states and subservient states.
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LIBERALISM UNDER CHALLENGE AFTER WWI
The idea of a natural harmony of interests was under challenge before the WWI. The contradictions within European civilization and industrial power for military purposes in return. (Ex. Britain, Germany highly economy independence before WWI) The first world war shifted liberal thinking towards a recognition that peace is not a natural condition but is one that must be constructed.
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Woodrow Wilson raised the idea
Perhaps the most famous advocate of an international authority for the management of international relations was Woodrow Wilson. According to Wilson, peace could only be secured with the creation of an international organization to regulate international anarchy.
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Woodrow Wilson gave a speech of 'fourteen points', addressed to congress in January The league of nations was to be founded. Based on another founding characteristic of liberal idealist thinking on international relations called self-determination. State in the system accepts that the security of one is the concern of all, and agrees to join in a collective response to aggression. Which is known as 'collective defence‘. In the event of war, all member states must cease normal relations with the offending state, impose sanctions and, if necessary, commit their armed forces to the disposed.
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However, reality defeat ideology
In practice, during WWI, the experience of the league of nations was a disaster. States inside league were driven by self-interest. USA's decision not to join the institution.
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familiar core ideas of liberalism didn’t disappear
In the case of the united nations, the need for a consensus between the great powers in order for enforcement action, which is known as veto system to be taken. Which allowed any of the five permanent members of the security council the power of veto.
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In the 1960s and 1970s. Other transnational actors were beginning to challenge the dominance of sovereign states. Other actors, such as interest groups, transnational corporations, and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) were taken into consideration. Since cold war system collapsed, a 'new world order' as international institutions such as the united nations security council began to operate at the start of the 1990s.
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Idea of G. John Ikenberry:
Liberalism's influence through three phases, conveniently labelled as 'Liberal internationalism 1 .0', '2 .0', and '3.0‘ Liberal internationalism 1.0 : The inter-war period and the failed attempt to replace the old balance of power order with the rule of law.
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Internationalism 2.0: (1945~)
Certain fundamental liberal principles into the regulatory rules and institutions of international society. Under crisis: the rest of the world no longer wants an order challenged the point of the liberal principle of sovereign equality is under threat. Us lacks the capacity, and western institutions the legitimacy, to maintain a version 2.0 into the future. Liberal internationalism 3.0 requires a movement away from a sovereignty- based order towards one where global institutions become the new rulers of the world.
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The Challenge liberalism faces:
The potential for liberalism to embrace imperialism is a tendency. A number of arguments that republics necessarily expand. Liberty increases wealth and the concomitant drive for new markets, at the same time citizens are better fighters, and expansion is often effective to promote a state's security. CAUTION: The line between internationalism and imperialism is a very fine one.
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To be more liberal: The problem with the institutions of governance in global politics today is not enough liberalism. Liberals will insist that international institutions must be reformed, that decisions are better when they are made democratically, that good governance requires public services for all, that rights are irrelevant unless responsibilities are taken seriously, and that economic and social justice is critical to peaceful change on a regional and global scale.
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Pick-up Questions: Should liberal states promote their values abroad?
Is force a legitimate instrument in securing this goal ? Is there a fundamental tension between liberty and democracy according to liberalism?
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Thank you!
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