Why has the international order that emerged since the end of the Cold War been mostly referred to as liberal?

Liberal world order definition?

many actors working together to meet mutual interests. Support for capitalism, democracy, cooperation and progress

Baylis, Smith, Owens 2023

Three reasons against?

• Challenges to liberal economics

• Growth of anti-regionalism and nationalism

• Growth of multipolarity

Three reasons for?

• Continued prominence of capitalism

• Importance of LIOs

• Continued western dominance

P1: Challenges to liberal economics?

• Opposition to capitalism, fall of capitalist values/dominance

• Even after the Cold War, China remains under the control of a communist government (CCP). Impossible for global economy to survive without China. Communism = direct contradiction to capitalism

• Recurrent financial crises suggest capitalism is not the best way of managing the global economy

• Protests against capitalist policy - Battle of Seattle 1999 protest against WTO

P2: Continued prominence of capitalism?

• Economic liberalism (neoliberalism) dominates the world economy

• States are forced to work together for the efficient production and supply of goods. Even China has adopted capitalist policies in the pursuit of wealth and power

• Despite the issues faced, there has been no movement away from liberal economics - only 4 communist states exist

• Capitalism is the foundation of the global system - creates competition ensuring low prices, high choice for consumers. Has become integral, difficult to live without

P2: definition of capitalism?

a low proportion of actors hold a high proportion of wealth, permitting them to influence the market

(Spike Peterson, 2019)

P3: Growth of anti-regionalism and nationalism?

• Strength of liberalism is weakened by a decline in the popularity of global governance/regional institutions

• States wish to maintain stronger national identities

• E.g 2016 UK votes to leave the EU

• States on the periphery of the LIO are no longer expressing a desire to become more liberal - instead rise of nationalism/authoritarianism contributing to global disunity

• E.g Bolsonaro (Brasil), Mudi (India), Netanyahu (Israel)

P3: definition of nationalism?

“the promotion of the interests of a particular state at the expense of others”

Lake, Martin and Risse 2021

P4: importance of LIOs?

• Membership of LIOs is still highly desirable, even necessary as it allows developing states to be accepted into the world order

• States increasingly required to cooperate to solve mutual issues

• Allows for the promotion of liberal Western ideals through policy and military intervention

• E.g Iraq 2003

P4: definition of international institutions?

“rules that the great powers devise and agree to follow”

Mearsheimer, 2019

P5: Growth of multipolarity?

• The rise of many non-western powers that contradict liberalism

• Russian authoritarianism - invasion of Crimea (2014) and invasion of Ukraine (2022) Shows Russia is above liberal governance and therefore constitutes a threat to the LIO. Western inability to end war suggests loss of liberal dominance, other states may feel more inclined to challenge West

• India and Pakistan becoming nuclear arms holders - discontent with liberal system, will advance own agenda at expense of liberalism

• Multipolarity threatens US hegemony

P6: continued Western dominance?

• America remains a global superpower and states are increasingly conflict averse

• Growth of soft power - the USA has desirable position which developing states may try to emulate. USA has reduced military force but still meets international policy aims - shows methods are changing but influence is not reduced

• Nuclear war is a slim possibility - danger of mutual destruction. States in the West also have nuclear arms and maintain strong militaries so are not realistically under threat

• Mearsheimer (1994) states in the LIO “fear” each other