What is 'Liberalism' in IR theory and how is it different than 'Realism'.

Liberalism is a school of thought within international relations theory which can be thought to revolve around three interrelated

1. Rejection of power politics as the only possible outcome of international relations

2. Accentuates mutual benefits and international cooperation

3. Implements international organizations(global confederation) as a key to increase cooperation and play an important role in shaping actor choice.

Liberalism different from realist is the normative theory as realism describe what thing is, liberalism assert on what thing should be, how thing should evolve(normative).

Liberalism agree with the realist on the term of IR marked by anarchy. But has a positive view as anarchy can’t prevent cooperation among states which can increase benefits without threatening survival in anarchy which the collaboration can be achieved by Institutions and international organisation( sets of agreed upon norms, rules, and practices. Formal: treaties, laws, organizations. Informal: summits, conferences, norms). The more cooperative, the more reduce of the conflict.

For liberalism international organizations(global confederation) can shape state action.

E.g UN post WWII

• found on thought of liberalism (equal rights, human rights, peaceful coexistence regresses the power position.)

• International law can be enforced like domestic law

• Believe that thing will getting better, to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.

Liberalism disagree with realist in term of human nature; Liberal tradition in IR is ‘optimistic’ about human nature that human can overcome basis instinct and is perfectible. Liberalism assume that human is a rational which will be prevail and people will realize that war is bad in the long run.

Key : individual are rational + aware of their own interest = act out rationally (not war). They put faith in the power of human reason.

As a result, Unlike realist, The view on the war of Liberalism is that war is NOT a natural condition but peace is the norm. Human Have capacity of making ourself better, rational, seek for progress which will do it in universal level where national interest is safe guard for military mean(unlike realist) such as soft power.

E.g UN post WWII

• found on thought of liberalism (equal rights, human rights, peaceful coexistence regresses the power position.)

• International law can be enforced like domestic law

• Believe that thing will getting better, to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.

Liberal claim that their theory can be found throughout the world history for example,

One of the most famous liberalist is Hugo Grotius, known from his work that wrote in 30 years war period that he establish whole series of treaty of war. Law apply even in warfare. Challenge the violence, humanized form of conquest. Can limit actor to out play others (rightful cause of war, rightful conduct of war jus as bellum, jus in bello) (just war theory); that it’s not enough for state to declare war. Natural justice can be found among human.

Liberal assume that progress is bound to happen which is a norm. Assume that individual including state have potential to improve. Reject that human are in constant fighting and always seek for self interest and International organization and free trade is a force for cooperation. However, in reality why it still fail to prevent war.

So they assume that there must me some systematic that prevent them from progress which their answer lies in not only structure of IR system but also domestic set up. They identify that peace require

– All states to be representative democracies

– International law (not world government)

– Free movement of people and free trade (long run liberty)

This is different than realism that for liberalism, political regime play role; which suggest that The domestic play important role on how state act out. so Domestic set up of state can prevent state to not to war because people are perfectible and rational so that they would realize that war is bad for their live and Develop forward it.

This became the principle for liberalism of ‘democratic peace theory’

- democratic force each other to cooperate

Liberal democracies have never fought a war among themselves (democracies only fight autocracies) state are the main actor which represent compromising idea within (states are not unitary actors). We have to create global confederation eg free trade to increase cooperation which crate interdependent (key to peace) . This is because

1 Democracies’ public debates reveal their true intentions, thus avoiding the security dilemma.

2 Elected leaders will lose office if they lose wars, so they are more careful about initiation.

Liberal realize that war can still occur in democratic state, which there is a modern liberalism to explain why by Schumpeter, Liberal Pacifism. He assert that all war in the modern world can be seen as imperialistic. Democracy and capitalism are the fundamental for peace because they are the anti-thesis to imperialism. Capitalism, he suggests, produces an unwarlike disposition. The disciplines of industry and the market train people in "economic rationalism;” which Rational individuals demand democratic governance. But empire is NOT sustainable but the democracy is which related to capitalism more free trade, war more obsolete that you can get cheap better good without have to exploit the others. So the tread goes toward capitalism as a norm. remove need to courier others.

However, there are theory that republic is the best form of government is to act cooperative. BUT republic doesn’t mean peace loving. They not stay always from war. It’s known as Liberal imperialism by Machiavelli where They fought in the war It has to expanding which sate should exercise their power when possible. E.g Athens.

So the answer to the question why do democratic state still fought war lies in the new modern conclusion of Liberal internationalism that Liberal internationalism is a foreign policy doctrine that argues that liberal states should fought war with other sovereign states in order to pursue liberal objectives. Such intervention can include both military invasion and humanitarian aid because liberals state are responsible for aggression (imperialism).

This can be linked to Immanuel Kant; who try to established a foundation that we can build the world of peace in his article that Suggest that every state should be republic. So that state law should found on the consensus of the public. Kant’s theory of liberal internationalism is that

• constitution state must be republic to preserve freedom; the fear of war, devastation fundamentally stop liberals state disrupts peace among other liberal states.

• International law removes the occasion of wars among liberal states; ‘spirit of commerce’ : capitalism as a key of enjoy material benefit to set up global system to remain peaceful.

• There are universal norm and value; you should not treat other human as an instrument but see them as human being.