Current Crises of : globalization, 'G'lobalization, LIEO? (arguments for/against, possible futures)

LIEO (claims) support for:

• Politlical liberalism (democracy, rights…)

• Economic liberalism (“free markets”, open trade, etc.)

• Liberal Internationalism (respect for borders, international governance)

• US hegemony

• ‘G’lobalization discourse

LIEO Challenges to:

• Chinese success; Chinese/Russian criticisms of; US selective support for; the new nationalism

• Chinese growth; 2008 financial crisis; deadlock at WTO; rising trade protectionism; industrial policies et al.; the new nationalism

• Increasing international conflicts; US/China/Russia etc. disregard for IGOs, treaties, international law; increasing migration; failed global cooperation (on health, climate, etc.); the new nationalism

• Rise of the BRICS; declining relative US power; critiques of revived US imperialism; perceived US hypocrisy re LIEO rules; Trump 2.0; the new nationalism

• Persistent inequality, increasing conflict, increasing authoritarianism; the new nationalism

Fall of the LIEO: Analyses (John Short)

• Believe we are already on the cusp of a China-centric “new world order” to replace the U.S. - dominated international “rules-based order.”

• A new world order has begun - and as it develops, it will look increasingly different than what it’s replacing

• In the short term the U.S. can leverage its existing power to its advantage, but over the long term other countries will likely pivot away from too much reliance on the U.S.

• The American Century… has to all intents and purposes come to an end

Fall of LIEO: Analyses (Suzanne Nossel)

• Causes: gradual weakening of the LIEO

  • Growing emphasis on self-interest over principle within LIEO

  • Growing resentment from China, Russia, et al. (c.f. Kimmage)

  • Inability to confront new global challenges

  • “Democratic backsliding” (i.e. rightwing nationalisms) around world

  • (Very little on economic dimensions)

• Consequences: end of liberal internationalism and US global hegemony; global economic reconfiguration away from US

→ Calling for a more principled but also “realistic” (scaled-back) liberal

internationalism

Fall of the LIEO: Analyses (Kenan Malik)

• Causes: LIEO’s fundamental hypocrisy and contradictions

  • Western interests always before democracy, liberalism, law

  • “Peace” only ever applied to major powers

  • Promotion of free markets, neoliberal globalization over democracy → inequality, resentment, erosion of civil society → rightwing nationalisms

• Consequences: rising illiberalism, authoritarianism, nationalism, conflict...

→ Calling for an (expanded) international order that is more fully

committed to democracy, rights, peace, economic equality

Fall of the LIEO: Analyses (All 3 authors agree)

All three authors agree that:

• New world order already beginning — no longer question of if or when, but how and how quickly

• Increasing limits on democracy, rights, international cooperation

• US will remain powerful, but not nearly as powerful as it has been

• Did not begin with Trump, but finalized and accelerated by him

Fall of the LIEO: Analyses (All 3 authors disagree)

Disagree about:

• How good LIEO was in first place

• Whether/to what extent causes of collapse are external or internal to LIEO

• What future global international integration (i.e. “globalization”) could or should look like