LIBERALISM

Introduction

Liberalism has been called the strongest contemporary challenge to realism. Liberalism
warrants our attentions because it speaks to issues realism disregards including the impact of
domestic politics on state behavior the implications of economic interdependence; end the role of
global norms and institutions in promoting international co-operation.

Definition

Liberalism, political doctrine that takes protecting and enhancing the freedom of the
individual to be the central problem of politics.

Four Strands of Liberal thoughts.

Jackson and Sorensen and several other writers’ identity four different strands of liberal theory
these are

(i) Interdependence Liberalism

(ii) Sociological Liberalism
(iii) Institutional Liberalism
(iv) Republic Liberalism
(i) Interdependence Liberalism

It argues that a high division of labor in the international economy increases

interdependence between state and that discourages and reduce violent comfit between states.

(ii) Sociological Liberalism

Social liberalism argues that person to person contacts reduce conflict by have argued
that people from different civilization have fundamentally incompatible worldviews.

(iii) Institutional Liberalism

Institutional Liberalism alleviates problems concerning lack a trust between states and others. It
can understand the importance of organized cooperation between the states.

(iv) Republic Liberation

Republic Liberalism argues that democratic constitutions and forms of govt are of vital
importance for inducing peaceful and cooperative relations between states.

Basic Assumptions

 It has positive view of human nature

  It includes a conviction that international relations can be cooperative rather than
nonfactual.
 It has belief in progress.
 According to John locke, states exists to protect the rights of their citizens.
 Classical Liberation
 Transitional relations
 Complex interdependence

Limitations:

 Realist argues that institutions actually exert the minimal influence on state behavior.
 The prospects for cooperation are more likely in issuer of low politics than of high
politics.
 Realists also argue that liberals tend to turn foreign policy into a moral crusade.

Evolution:

 It evaluated in the World War I.

 Its founders hoped to prevent future wars by organizing a system of collective security.
 This insight led to the realization that complete interdependence.
 Neoliberalism emerged in the last decode of the twentieth century to challenge realism
and neo realism.

Conclusion:

Imbalance interests served liberalism upholds representation democracy on the

assumption that the state represent the interests of all groups within sixty and that it ensure
reconciliation of conflicting interests.