Liberalism Cheat-Sheet

The universal and lasting establishment of peace constitutes not merely a part, but the whole final purpose and end of the science of right as viewed within the limits of reason Immanuel Kant

What is Liberalism?: Liberalism is a tradition in international relations which emphasizes the possibility of cooperation between states. Liberalism is a tradition with many arguments and disagreements, but Liberals in IR tend to stress four important features that can lead to cooperation in international politics: Democracy, trade, institutions, and preferences. Democracy: Going back to the 18th century, many Liberals believe that democracies (or, more precisely, liberal republics) tend to not go to war against each other. This argument, known as Democratic Peace Theory, argues that shared values, transparent institutions, and popularly elected governments create a more peaceful international environment that is conducive to cooperation. Trade: Related to the Democratic Peace Theory, many Liberals argue that trade, and the bonds of interdependence, make war less likely, as trade both causes shared values to emerge, while also making the costs of war high. Institutions: Liberalism also argues that states often cooperate, and create institutions, because it serves their interests. While Realists believe that rational states would often try to avoid cooperation, because its impossible to fully trust another state, Liberals maintain that cooperation can be very rational. Coordinating trade policy, for example, can benefit both states involved, as it would increase the efficiency of exchange. Preferences: Some liberals also believe that state preferences, which arise out of domestic politics, matter a lot in terms of cooperation. Lobbies are a great example of domestic groups that may have great influence in setting the agenda and helping shape a states preferences. How Would a Liberal Explain Key Events?: The Spread of Democracy: Liberals would argue that the spread of democracy is important to states because democracies dont fight wars against each other. Thus, Western states will promote democracy in order to preserve peace and security. Globalization: Liberals see globalization as a part of a larger process of states becoming more interdependent. Globalization is usually seen by Liberals to be a good thing. Why Was the United Nations Created?: Liberals would argue that states saw it to be in their rational interests to create an institution that would limit the use of violence in international politics. Why Does the US Support Taiwan?: At least in part, Liberals would assert, this is because the Taiwan Lobby plays an important role in shaping US preferences. In Short: Liberalism shows us that Realism is too pessimistic about the possibility of cooperation in international politics. There are many instances why rational states would cooperate. Important Liberal Writers: Immanuel Kant, Jeremy Bentham, Adam Smith, Norman Angell, Woodrow Wilson, Robert Keohane, Joseph Nye, Michael Doyle, Andrew Moravcsik, Francis Fukuyama.