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INTRODUCTION
The continuous changing and evolving world necessitates that individuals, intellectuals
and state actors globally adjust to the challenges brought by the metamorphosis in world
events in order to make it a better place. This is the underlying principles of liberalism as
a direct critique of realism. In view of this, some key assumptions of realism will be
highlighted in this review essay to show where liberal minds and likes are coming from.
Liberalism is apparently a very complex concept taking into account the fact that various
authors have contributed literature on the subject from different perspectives and
approaches. These plethora of liberal views unlike realism in which the keys points are
straight forward, are cumbersome. Nonetheless, the question this review essay will
answer among others is; is liberalism practicable?
It is worth noting that the various themes and concepts embedded in liberalism are
intertwined and may not necessarily be separated from each other. For example, the
words “idealism and utopianism”1 are other terminologies used to describe approaches to
liberalism in international system. These words will also be used in this essay where
necessary and suitable. In the next paragraph, I will highlight the basic assumptions of
realism, without engaging much on discussions of the concept before defining liberalism.
The literature review will then follow and will be premised on works by President
Woodrow Wilson in his “Fourteen Point”2 speech. The other writers to be included are;
John Locke, Immanuel Kant and Jeremy Bentham without neglecting other contributors
whose names will be mentioned. However, I think all these writers are Wilson’s
ideologues and for the purpose of this essay it is important that I put a limit on authors in
lieu of the required length recommended. Discussions on the strength and weaknesses of
the concept of liberalism will be done on the concluding section of this essay.
1
Nel, P., “Theories of International Relations” in Nel, P. and McGowan, P. (eds.): Power, Wealth and
Global Equity: An International Relations Textbook for Africa, University of Cape Town Press, Cape
Town, 2002. p. 30.
2
Nel, P., Op. Cit. p. 30 and See http://www.yale.edu.lawweb/avalon/wilson14.htm.
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are naturally in learning process and will improve but circumstances often prohibit them
from practicing those principles. President Woodrow Wilson’s “Fourteen Points” speech
to US senate in 1917 further illustrates this believe that people have morals and can live
in harmony with one another. He posited that democracy should be promoted in all
countries as democratic countries do not go to war. Democracy encourages free press and
Michael Doyle who suggests that one of the reasons why democratic countries do not
engage themselves in war is because the governments are accountable to the tax payers9.
Government only engages in “just wars”10 through a collective action in this regard.
From African perspective, Wilson’s assertion is one of the principles in African Union’s
(AU) Constitutive Act. Whereas different countries have managed not to fight one
another, that of free press and freedom of speech is still very limited. Besides, this notion
of democracy is very problematic because some of the African countries are not yet
matured to democratise. I believe that democracy survives and become very effective
when a country has enough middle class. African and Third world counties have to come
up with a system of governance which will enable them take care of the welfare of its
citizens.
8
Ibid. p. 30.
9
Elias, J. and Sutch, P., Op. Cit. pp. 70-72.
10
Ibid. p. 70.
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Intra-state wars have continued to rise as a result of weak states, whose powers have been
eroded as a result of pressure of liberalism11. The war in Iraq was not a collective action
as Doyle suggests. However, its significant is located as more countries democratise, but
this does not mean all counties must be dragged into it as I afore stated.
Similarly, Locke proposed that moral law of nature was given by God and was in
existence before politics. Equality as man was made by God means one has the innate
ability to work out the basics in politics such as freedom from oppression and right to
own property, he argued.12 Equality before the law and equity should be the way the state
thinking as the world has become the survival of the strongest and the wisest. The weak
people in the society have no chance of fitting in. Rule of law is functional in most
counties, especially the developed countries as the argument craves for. Nonetheless,
events in those countries in terms of equal distribution of wealth have proven that all
hands are not equal because of the income gap between the rich and the poor. I think that
there is no such thing as egalitarian society or between states, whether democratic or not.
Another theorist is Kant and his ideology of international federation13. His argument is
similar to Locke’s opinion on morality in which both suggest that there is a sense of duty
Kant further argued that the structure of international system should take on board
conditions that make morality possible. His argument laid emphases on democratic
institutions to peace and argument for global economic equity. He believes that
individual’s autonomy should be respected and that conflict only erupts when this
individual’s freedom is trampled upon.14 Individual’s rights are continually denied both
in states and in the international system. For example; the rights to shelter and education
enshrined in the constitution of many democratic counties are just mirage in the sense
that governments either do not have enough resources to meet those needs or that they
have other priorities that do not benefits its citizens. Cases of genocide and democides
have taken place in Bosnia and Iraq respectively. Countries like Kuwait and Iraq have
been invaded in the past. The international system capable of guaranteeing people’s right
as Kant proposed is not available yet.
Secondly, Wilson proposed that “Self determination” of subjected peoples and nations
countries have gained independence. However, the issue of ethnic divisions and
minorities to cede from their existing states and the AU have not encouraged those calls
owing to the fact that most of this groups do not meet the criteria to become a State. For
example, Nigeria has about 250 ethnic groups and half of the groups are claiming to be
At independence in 1960, the country had only four regional geographic zones, but today
it has 36 states (provinces). Yet, there are still calls for more provinces and some groups
want separate countries. These agitations did at some stage resulted in civil war in the late
1960s when the Biafra people from the south east region of the country declared
themselves an independent state16. That war notwithstanding, another attempt was made
by Ogoni people in mid 1990s and hitherto Niger-Delta region continues to be conflict
ridden 17. In view of this, the notion of self determination is problematic and highly
contested. This is because most of the independent countries are finding it difficult to
govern themselves and creating more states means creating more problems as synthesis
of state creation will be endless.
flow of information, labour, capital, goods and services through removal of tariffs and
non-tariff barriers.18 Through this process, there has been encouragement of the formation
of sub-regional blocks in Africa into a common trade agreement through the Regional
Commission (SADC) and the Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS)
whereby single market is being practiced. The SADC through its South African Customs
Union (SACU) is an example of trade practices without tariffs on the goods flowing in
Similarly, neo-liberal institutions argue that there is opportunity for complex or multiple
interdependence which in reality has multiple channels or means for political interaction.
However, the conundrum of determining states priority between “high” over “low
politics” and vice vassal is problematic. High and low politics would mean economic and
social issues repectively19. Some states may choose bolstering their military capability
economic development and labour issues. The more areas states work together and share
information about each other’s interest and concerns, the more they understand each
categorised in accordance with over all benefits and the general good of the people. He
The maxamisation of utility according to Bentham should also be a key priority. For him,
utility means wrong or right and bad and good. He acknowledged the relevance of states,
but thinks it is through the state that individual’s utility should be enhanced. Thus,
international law should not encompass national self- aggrandizement rather the “greatest
capable of resolving all disputes. This court according to him will not become powerful
and sovereign to make decisions, rather it will make recommendations24. I think Bentham
by acknowledging the relevance of the state should have made his argument from the
neo-realist perspective. However, his thesis makes a whole lot of sense given the
emergence of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court
(ICC) despite the politics and paradox hindering the operations of these courts. At the
moment, only alleged war criminals from the developing world can be arrested and tried
whereas when nationals of the developed countries are involved, they are treated as war
heroes. Warrant of arrest has been issued recently so that Sudanese President25 will
answer for war atrocity in his oil rich country. Former Liberian President, Charles Taylor
is being tried by ICC26 whereas war criminals from United States of America walk freely.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=120098&d=10&m=3&y=2009.
26
King, M. L., “This Too, Shall Pass”, in Africa Today, Vol. 12, No. 5, May 2006, pp. 14-23.
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The argument that US did not sign ICC treaty is very flimsy because US can sign the
treaty if the rest of the world wants it to. On ICJ, recommendations by the court are only
carried out by a country’s volition and not obligation. I am not condemning these courts
or being hypercritical, but it should be understandable that it is good to treat the goose the
Different literatures on liberalism have been reviewed in this essay and I must express
some disappointments for the fact that this noble ideology; liberalism, is not workable in
the current world order. Consequently, it leaves the concept with many weaknesses than
strengths, which makes me to wonder why the authors have to bother constructing this
theory. I have therefore come to the realisation that there is no such thing as best set of
theory to explain IR or how governments ought to map their foreign policy. These
theories are often exaggerated to justify claims being made in their contents.
bonds of mutual interests on a commitment to the status quo. One could argue that these
international organisations like United Nations (UN) are mere talking shops. This
notwithstanding, rational state actors can always find solutions to conflicts and disputes
One of the weaknesses of the concept includes the fact that it does not provide necessary
development. The debate in recent times has been whether democracy leads to
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development. Secondly, it ignores the differences in relative gains and the distribution of
wealth generated by the market system. The asymmetry in international trade has
remained a problem in the international system. The notion of collective security has led
intervention. Sometimes, it is a little too late to pass a resolution such as that of Somalia.
The post conflict peace buildings are not managed well leading to failed states. At the
moment, Somalia has become ungovernable resulting in piracy activities27 by its citizens.
This is a big concern now, but it could have been prevented long ago. If Clinton’s
administration had acted when war was taking place in Somalia, US would not have got
entangled in the recent “operation Phillips”28 to save the captain of one of numerous ships
been hijacked in that Gulf of Aden. Finally, the concept is reminiscing to its name;
utopian. There is nothing like egalitarian society as it suggested. Egalitarianism may only
In conclusion, liberalism may become implementable the day all members of Breton
Woods Institutions (BWI) and UN have equal votes without some elite groups within
these institutions. At the moment, realism remains the order of the day as altruism and
‘09 at http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-goldberg14-2009apr14,0,1560384.column,
and See “Piracy Force the Rule of Law” Globeandmail.com, 14 April 2009. Accessed on 19 April, 2009 at
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090414.EPIRATES14ART1938/TPStory/Opinion/e
ditorials,
28
See “Saving Captain Phillips: American alive, pirates dead, let's hope more to follow”, WSJ.COM, 13
April 2009. Accessed on 19 April 2009. at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123958568421112479.html.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Akintunde, M., “Secrets of the Grave”, in Africa Today, Vol. 6, No. 4, April 2000.
Elias, J. & Sutch, P.: International Relations: The Basics, Routledge, USA, 2007.
Goldberg, J., “How to Solve Piracy Problems” Los Angeles Times, 14 April 2009. Accessed on 19 April
‘09 at http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-goldberg14-2009apr14,0,1560384.column,
Grieco J.M., “Anarchy and the Limits of Cooperation: A Realist Critique of the Newest Liberal
Institutionalism”, in International Organizations, Vol. 42, No. 3, (Summer, 1988).
Heard, L., “Nothing International about ICC”, Arab News, 10 March 2009. Accessed on 19 April 2009 at
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=120098&d=10&m=3&y=2009.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ni.html.
http://www.yale.edu.lawweb/avalon/wilson14.htm.
Kaldor, M.:. New and Old Wars: Organised Violence in a Global Era, Polity Press, Cambridge, 2007.
Kennedy, E.A., “Somali Pirates Hijack Spree Since Weekend” Associated Press, 14 April 2009. Accessed
King, M. L., “This Too, Shall Pass”, in Africa Today, Vol. 12, No. 5, May 2006.
Nel, P., “Theories of International Relations” in Nel, P. and McGowan, P. (eds.): Power, Wealth and
Global Equity: An International Relations Textbook for Africa, University of Cape Town Press, Cape
Town, 2002.
Paris, R., “Peacebuilding and the Limits of Liberal Internationalism”, in International Security, Vol. 22,
No. 2 (Autumn, 1997).
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“Piracy Force the Rule of Law” Globeandmail.com, 14 April 2009. Accessed on 19 April, 2009 at
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090414.EPIRATES14ART1938/TPStory/Opinion/e
ditorials,
“Saving Captain Phillips: American alive, pirates dead, let's hope more to follow”, WSJ.COM, 13 April