LIBERAL PERSPECTIVE IN IR:

‘International affairs have been the nemesis of Liberalism’-STANLEY HOFFMANN

Liberalism stands as an important perspective among various theoretical perspectives on world politics today. The
liberal approach is identified with the belief in the possibility of progress. Liberalism holds that human nature is
basically good and that people can improve their moral and material condition, which ultimately would lead to
progress in society. The origins of the liberal theory are found in the 18th-century optimism of the Enlightenment,
19th-century political and economic liberalism and the 20th-century Wilsonian idealism. Liberalism is an economic
and a political philosophy that is based on the notion of individual liberty. Liberalism revolves around the overall
development of an individual. The philosophy rests upon the assumption that human beings are inherently good.

Liberalism, as theoretical perspective to IR, has been the main challenger to Realism. Liberalism provides one of the
most rigorous theories on society, politics and economy. Because of globalisation, multiculturalism, growth of
international organisations, MNCs and the global economy, the importance of liberalism is growing and gaining
grounds.

Main Assumptions in Liberalism

Liberalism does not present a single monolith structure of arguments. There are some underlying assumptions in
liberalism, some are discussed below:

Individualism: Liberalism stressed individualism. Liberalism strives for the highest development of an individual.
The liberals begin with the assumption that individuals have a self-interest. The achievement of their interest
depends on the principles of liberty, property rights and the free market. It argues that when each individual is
working towards their interest it contributes to the larger interest of the society.

Liberty: Individual liberty is the foundation of liberalism. It is in the condition of freedom that humans can achieve
the highest possibility of desirable outcomes. In order to grow and progress it is fundamental that individuals
should be able to freely sell or sell labour, own or disposed of property.

Rationalism: It is one of the main themes in liberalism. Informed by the principle of utility, to achieve the greatest
happiness of the greatest number, individuals will cooperate when such cooperation is going to bring better
outcomes than working alone. Humans are rational actors because they make cost-benefit analysis before taking
any action. This is informed by the utility principle which argues that people behave in ways that will maximise their
interest.

Free Market and Free Trade: The assumption is that liberal values are best upheld when the market is free from
state regulation. One can exercise freedom of choice and reach its highest development when the market is free. A
regulated market will only restrict people’s choices which can be translated into restricting one’s liberty.

Cooperation: The liberals believed that when people pursue their own interests there can be a harmony of
interests among them. They have an optimistic view of human nature. In pursuit of a common goal, they will
cooperate with one another. Such cooperative behaviour is facilitated by institutions as well. Inevitably, liberals
argued that there is a growing importance of non-state actors like the MNCs, IMF, World Bank and other
intergovernmental organisations which rival the state. The state is no longer the only important actor in the
international system.
Human Nature:

The liberals believed in the goodness of human nature. Humans are not necessarily bad. They have the capacity to
change and cooperate with one another.

Property Rights: Liberalism strongly supports privatisation and liberalisation of the market. Ownership of property
and other production processes stimulates productivity and growth. It is also important to mention that a certain
degree of liberty is reflected when states are prevented from encroaching into private properties.

Rules of Law: For the highest possible exercise of liberty and property rights it is important that the state protects
them. All are equal before the law. Another function of a legal system put in place by the state is to make sure that
contracts are respected, ensure fair competition, remove corruption and provide political stability for the market to
thrive. Sound macroeconomic policies will give ample opportunity for individuals to increase production and
wealth.

Domestic Politics and International Politics: Liberalism maintained that the liberty of the people in their home
country can be affected by external international activities. It flows from here that there is no real distinction
between domestic politics and international politics. In this age of globalisation there exists interdependence,
multiculturalism, pluralism, internationalism and other kinds of relationships that transcend national borders.

4 Strands of Liberalism in IR:

• Sociological liberalism:

This strand rejects realism’s narrow focus on states and how IR is also about transnational relations i.e. relations
between people, groups and organizations belonging to different countries. Apart from relations between states,
relation between individuals, groups, and people- transnational social networks, global civil societies- also
influences IR. Overlapping and cross cutting (interests which are different) interdependent relation between
peoples of different nation-states promote peace and cooperation.

• Commercial and interdependence:

The earliest theories of liberalism revolved around the notions of trade and economic relations. These ideas were
first propounded in 19th century by David Ricardo, Richard Cobden, etc. the key theme within liberalism was a belief
in the virtues of free trade. Free trade is no less important in drawing the states into a complex web of
interdependence. This allowed greater interdependence and integration through trade, commerce, investment.
Greater interdependence means that the material costs of international conflict are so great that warfare becomes
unthinkable. • Example: trade sanctions, banning manufactures/producers of a particular nation-state. Increasing
role of MNC/TNCs, Multilateral organizations, economic rather than military interests.

• Republican:

Democratic peace theory: less possibility of war between democracies due to their political culture of peaceful
conflict resolutions, common moral values, common ties. • More say/voice to different groups/people in
democracy act like check and balance on the ruler in decisions, actions of the nation-state in global system.

• Institutional:

This branch of liberalism draws on a domestic analogy wherein the idea that insight into international politics can
be gained by reflecting on the structures of domestic politics. By proper institutional design, some sort of order,
discipline, global governance can be established in the anarchic world order which does not have any world
government. Institutions help build trust and cooperation among states in the anarchic world order. Institutions
stop cheating and free-rider problems in cooperative ventures at global level. Nation-states may trust and give their
loyalty to the international organisation based on robust and fair institutional design. • International organisations
provide information, platform to debate, express opinion, agreements, help settle disputes through dialogue.

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