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Concept
Liberalism (international relations)
Summary
Liberalism is a school of thought within international relations theory which revolves around three interrelated principles:
Rejection of power politics as the only possible outcome of international relations; it questions security/warfare principles of realism
Mutual benefits and international cooperation
The role of international organizations and nongovernmental actors in shaping state preferences and policy choices
This school of thought emphasizes three factors that encourage more cooperation and less conflict among states:
International institutions, such as the United Nations, which provide a forum to resolve disputes in non-violent ways
International trade because, when countries' economies are interconnected through trade, they are less likely to go to war with each other
Spread of democracy, as well-established democracies do not go to war with one another, so if there are more democracies, interstate war will be less frequent
Liberals believe that international institutions play a key role in cooperation among states via interdependence. There are three main components of interdependence. 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", referring originally to the philosophy of freedom. Its roots lie in the broader liberal thought originating in the Enlightenment. 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.
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