Liberals tending on co-operation rather than war like realists. (12 marks)

Full Q: Examine reasons why liberals believe global politics tends towards co-operation rather than the realist beliefs on tending towards war.

Definitions

-Liberalism: states’ interests in global politics are linked & interdependent, & best advanced through states working closesly with each other & with non-state actors in order to achieve common political objectives

-Realism: states most important & authoratative actors in global politics, & their primary goal is to protect their own national interests as war is inevitable

Point: liberals would argue economic interdependence has made the world more connected & cooperative, avoiding the economic losses that come with conflict that realists think is inevitable

-Explanation: countries rely on each other for trade, resources, markets, showing cooperation, and a war (like realists think is inevitable) would disrupt economic benefits to all countries so it actually provides economic stability

-Example: China & USA, despite politically different which can lead to conflict, both countries are heavily interdependent through billions of dollars going between them through trade annually

-Analysis: this shows that although conflict can happen through ideological differences, the liberal view that global politics tends towards cooperation is evident as it benefits all countries that choose to cooperate, discouraging war

Point: liberals would argue that international organisations enforce cooperation which helps prevent conflicts that realists might view as inevitable

-Explanation: institutions encourage countries to engage in debates, settle disputes peacefully, & align on shared interests, creating a structured environment that discourages unilateral actions & reduces the likelihood of conflict

-Example: the UN’s ECOSOC coordinates & reviews international policy on economic, social, & environmental issues

-Analysis: This is important for global politics as it provides a global governance system allowing states to work towards global goals (like SDGs) cooperatively, undermining the realist view of war being inevitable

Point: liberals believe that collective security arrangements encourage cooperation, rather than the realist belief that these arrangements encourage competition and a security dilemma

-Explanation: these arrangements encourage cooperation by uniting countries around common security goals, reducing the likelihood of war through mutual commitments to defend one another rather than compete, as realists might expect

-Example: in NATO, member states are committed to defending each other under Article 5, which states that an attack on 1 member is an attack on all. This shared security commitment encourages collaboration on defense

-Analysis: this reduces the likelihood of conflict among members, illustrating the liberal view that alliances promote cooperation rather than competition