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Liberalism Theory IR
Liberalism Theory IR
Historical background:
Liberalism originally arose from both deep scholarly and philosophical roots. With the
theory’s prime principle being international cooperation and peace, early influences are
seen in some bigger religious practices sharing the same goal. It was later in the 17th
and 18th centuries in which political liberalism began to take a form that challenged
nobility and inherited inequality. Followed shortly after was the Enlightenment where
liberal ideals began to develop with works by philosophers such
as Voltaire, Locke, Smith, and German thinker Immanuel Kant.
John Locke discusses many ideas that are now attributed to Liberalism in Two
Treatises of Government, published in 1689. Locke comments on society and outlines
the importance of natural rights and laws. Locke argues that civil government can help
people gain the basic human rights of health, liberty and possession. [12] Governments
that grant these rights and enforce laws benefit the world.
Assumptions of liberalism:
Liberalism is a school of thought within international relations theory which can be
thought to revolve around three interrelated principles:
Explanation:
Liberals believe that international institutions play a key role in cooperation among
states. With the correct international institutions, and
increasing interdependence (including economic and cultural exchanges) states have
the opportunity to reduce conflict. Interdependence has three main components. States
interact in various ways, through economic, financial, and cultural means; security tends
to not be the primary goal in state-to-state interactions; and military forces are not
typically used. Liberals also argue that international diplomacy can be a very effective
way to get states to interact with each other honestly and support nonviolent
solutions to problems. With the proper institutions and diplomacy, Liberals believe that
states can work together to maximize prosperity and minimize conflict.
Liberalism is one of the main schools of international relations theory. Liberalism comes
from the Latin liber meaning "free", referred originally to the philosophy of freedom. Its
roots lie in the broader liberal thought. The central issues that it seeks to address are
the problems of achieving lasting peace and cooperation in international relations, and
the various methods that could contribute to their achievement.
Neoliberalism:
Areas of study:
Broad areas of study within liberal international relations theory include:
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