Liberal internationalism is aforeign policy doctrine that supports international institutions, open markets, cooperative security, andliberal democracy.[1][2][3] At its core, it holds that states should participate ininternational institutions that upholdrules-based norms, promoteliberal democracy, and facilitate cooperation on transnational problems (such as environmental problems, arms control, and public health).[3]
Proponents of liberal internationalism argue that the adoption of this foreign policy orientation by the United States during the 20th century has improved American liberty at home and ensured Americanhegemony in world politics, as well as facilitated the spread of liberal democracy and markets.[3] Critics of the foreign policy doctrine (such asrealists and proponents ofretrenchment) argue that it tends towards military interventionism and contributes to disorder (for example, throughdemocracy promotion and trade liberalization).[4][3]
Liberal internationalism emerged during the 19th century. Prominent thinkers includedLionel Curtis,Alfred Zimmern andNorman Angell.[5]
Among policymakers, liberal internationalism influenced British Foreign Secretary and Prime MinisterLord Palmerston, and was developed in the second decade of the 20th century under U.S. PresidentWoodrow Wilson. In this form it became known asWilsonianism.[6] AfterWorld War I, the foreign policy doctrine of liberal internationalism was retained (but it also suffered a "jolt"[7] in the words of John Ikenberry as a result of WW1, namely against the "optimistic narratives"[8] that liberal internationalism espouses) by the intellectual founders of theLeague of Nations and augmented somewhat with ideas fromclassical radicalism and the political party platform of theInternational Entente of Radical and Similar Democratic Parties.Daniel Deudney andJohn Ikenberry have also associated liberal internationalism with foreign policy ideas promoted byFranklin D. Roosevelt.[9][10] Paul K. MacDonald has linked diplomatic practices developed at the 1899 and 1907 Hague conferences as being key repertoires of subsequent liberal internationalism.[11]
The goal of liberal internationalism is to achieve global structures within the international system that are inclined towards promoting a liberal world order (also referred to as "liberal international order"[12]). It foresees a gradual transformation of world politics from anarchy to common institutions and the rule of law. To that extent, global free trade, liberal economics and liberal political systems are all encouraged. In addition, liberal internationalists are dedicated towards encouraging democracy to emerge globally. Once realized, it will result in a "peace dividend", as liberal states have relations that are characterized by non-violence, and that relations between democracies are characterized by thedemocratic peace theory.
Liberal internationalism states that, throughmultilateral organizations such as theUnited Nations, it is possible to avoid the worst excesses of "power politics" in relations between nations. In addition, liberal internationalists believe that the best way to spread democracy is to treat all states equally and cooperatively, whether they are initially democratic or not.
According to Abrahamsen, liberal internationalism provides more opportunities tomiddle powers to advance their economic, security, and political interests.[13]
Examples of liberal internationalists include former British Prime MinisterTony Blair,[14] U.S. PresidentBarack Obama,[15] and then Secretary of StateHillary Clinton, and former Secretary of StateAntony Blinken.[16][17] In the US, it is often associated with the AmericanDemocratic Party.[18] Some liberal-leaningneoconservatives shifted towards liberal internationalism in the 2010s.[16]
Commonly cited examples of liberal interventionism includeNATO'sintervention in Bosnia and Herzegovina; the 1999NATO bombing of Yugoslavia;British military intervention in the Sierra Leone Civil War; and the2011 military intervention in Libya. According to historianTimothy Garton Ash, these are distinct because of liberal motivations and limited objectives, from other larger scale military interventions.[19]
Multilateral institutions, such asUNDP,UNICEF,WHO, and theUN General Assembly, have also been considered examples of liberal internationalism.[20]
According to Ikenberry and Yolchi Funabashi, one of the key pillars of liberal internationalism in practice is the democratic constitution and trade-based prosperity of Japan, which makes Japan a major stabilizer of liberal international order in the Asia-Pacific.[21]
