Liberal Theory - International Relations (2/7)

Overview of Liberalism

• Liberalism is a theory of international politics emphasizing globalization as the fundamental force in world politics.

• Globalization represents interdependence among different societal groups, influencing state actions and preferences.

Key Concepts

• Liberalism is a bottom-up theory:

  • It posits that globalization drives varying state preferences.

  • Different state preferences influence state actions.

• Basic actors in liberal theories:

  • Individuals and societal groups representing their interests to political entities (mainly states).

  • States can be seen as cities, tribes, empires, or political actors.

Types of Liberal Theory

• Commercial Liberal Theory:

  • Focuses on material (particularly economic) interests of states.

  • Examines how states manage interdependence economically for the benefit of dominant societal groups.

• Ideational Liberalism:

  • Concentrates on the ideals and beliefs of societal groups.

  • Emphasizes efforts to realize these ideals in international relations.

• Republican Liberalism:

  • Analyzes domestic institutions and their role in selecting which group interests are represented by the state.

Integration of Theories

• Combining interests, ideas, and institutions offers a comprehensive view of state preferences and behaviors.

• Critique of liberal theory’s complexity:

  • Critics argue that liberalism's multiple preferences (commercial, Republican, ideational) complicate its explanations.

  • Proponents assert that theories should match their complexity with the material they study.

Evaluation of Liberal Theory

• A good theory should generate mid-range claims:

  • Examples include theories of the democratic peace hypothesis and compliance with international organizations.

• Effectiveness in explaining variation in international system outcomes:

  • Capable of predicting cooperative behavior among states under certain conditions (e.g., trade interests).

Cooperative Outcomes in International Relations

• Liberal theory explains:

  • The growth of international organizations like WTO and EU in facilitating trade.

  • The democratic peace phenomenon, where democracies avoid conflicts with each other.

• Predicts warfare conditions:

  • States with opposing ideologies or democratic vs. non-democratic regimes are more likely to engage in conflict.

Comparison with Realist Theory

• Differences between realism and liberalism:

  • Realists argue war causes are rooted in the distribution of coercive power, while liberals focus on state preferences.

• Realist view: Domestic differences in states don't affect their actions under similar power configurations.

• Liberal dismissal of this view:

  • Historical context shows that domestic characteristics significantly influence state behavior.

Systemic Theory Perspective

• Debate on systemic vs. domestic theories:

  • Kenneth Waltz categorizes realism as systemic and liberalism as domestic, but both emphasize state characteristics.

• Key distinction:

  • Realism: distribution of coercive power.

  • Liberalism: distribution of social preferences and state preferences.

Application of Liberal Theory to Current Events

• US-China Relations:

  • Western policy focuses on engagement with China, betting that economic integration will lead to pacification of the state.

  • Historical context highlights regime change's influence on foreign policy approaches.

• Interplay of theories:

  • While realist elements exist (balancing China), liberalism predominantly explains the rationale behind engagement with China.

• Example of change:

  • Engagement with China as a partner was prompted by domestic regime changes (notably Deng Xiaoping's rise after Mao).

Conclusion

• Liberalism provides a framework to understand shifting state behaviors based on societal preferences and interests.

• Offers a nuanced perspective of international relations and state interactions, particularly in the context of globalization.