Idealism/Liberalism

Outline
• Introduction
• History of Idealism
• Theorists of Idealism
• Fundamental Beliefs
• Main Tenets of Idealism
• Criticism
• Conclusion
 Introduction
• Idealism is the post-World War 1 movement
• Inspired by the liberal theoretical tradition
• Which maintained that the pursuit of ideals
like world peace could change the world by
reducing the disorder often exhibited in world
politics.
 Introduction
• Liberalism is a paradigm predicted on the
hope that
• the application of reason and universal ethics
to international relations can lead to a more
orderly, just, and cooperative world, and
• that international anarchy and war can be
policed by institutional reforms that empower
international organization and law.
 Introduction
• Politics to liberal idealists, the search for
agreement about shared values to foster
cooperation within the global community.
• At the core of liberalism is an emphasis on
the impact of ideas have on behavior,
• the equality, dignity, and liberty of the
individual, and
• the need to protect people from excessive
state regulation.
 Introduction
• It emphasizes ethical principles over the
pursuit of power and institutions over
capabilities as forces shaping interstate
relations.
• It defines politics at the international level
more as a struggle for consensus that a
struggle for power and prestige.
 Introduction
• Those principles stressed theoretical
interpretations of the causes of war and
determinants of peace, framed at three levels
of analysis:
i. Individuals and human nature
ii. The characteristics of states and their
governing institutions and
iii. The attributes of a global system.
 Introduction
• After the passage of international society
based on power politics, there would be
international cooperation.
• The world order would be free from war,
inequality and tyranny and would be marked
by constant progress in human welfare
brought by the use of reason, education and
science.
 Introduction
• It would be an ideal system where every state
and every person would enjoy freedom and
self-respect.
• The contents of idealist theory can be found
in the Declaration of American War of
Independence of 1776 and the French
Revolution of 1789.
 History of Idealism
• Like realism, the roots of idealism can be
traced back for centuries in various forms.
• We see strains of idealism in the teachings of
Christ, Buddha as well as other non-sectarian
teachings.
 History of Idealism
• Post-World War 1 idealism,
• as argued by such scholars and policymakers
as
• Alfred Zimmerman,
• Norman Angell,
• James T. Shotwell, and
• Woodrow Wilson,
• was derived from ancient liberal philosophy.
 History of Idealism
• These idealists drew their philosophy from
such liberal thinkers as;
• Immanuel Kant, Richard Cobden,
• Thomas Jefferson, James Madison,
• John Stuart Mill, John Locke,
• David Hume, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and
• Adam Smith.
 History of Idealism
• Collectively, post-World War 1 liberal idealism
believed
• “ the pen is mightier than the sword” and
• embraced a worldview that emphasized the
power of ideas and ideals in steering global
destiny.
 History of Idealism
• Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher
who is widely considered to be a central figure
of modern philosophy.
• “No state shall by force interfere with the
internal affairs of another state.”
• “No independent state, large or small, shall
come under the dominion of another state.”
 Theorists of Idealism
• Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th
President of the United States, from 1913 to
1921.
• In the American study of international
relations, idealism usually refers to the school
of thought personified in American diplomatic
history by Woodrow Wilson, such that it is
sometimes referred to as Wilsonianism, or
Wilsonian Idealism.
 Theorists of Idealism
• Wilson gets the credit of being the father of
the League of Nation.
• He was a great propagator of world peace.
• Idealism holds that a state should make its
internal political philosophy the goal of its
foreign policy.
• For example, an idealist might believe that
ending poverty at home should be coupled
with tackling poverty abroad.
 Fundamental Beliefs
a) Human nature includes a “good” or altruistic
drive that makes people capable of compassion
and collaboration through reason and ethically
inspired education.
b) The fundamental human concern for others’
welfare makes progress possible.
c) Sinful or wicked human behavior, such as
violence, is the product not just of flawed people
but of evil institution that encourage people to
act selfishly and to harm others.
 Fundamental Beliefs
d) War and international anarchy are not inevitable,
and war’s frequency can be reduced by
strengthening the institutional arrangements
that encourage its disappearance.
e) States that are democratic and protect civil
liberties at home are natural allies for peace with
one another against illiberal state governments
prone to international aggression.
 Main Tenets of Idealism
1. Universal Ethics -- All humans should abide
by common standards such as natural laws.
There is a universal ethic common to all
people.
2. Peace is better than war -- War is seen as
immoral by idealists.
3. War is irrational – Breakdown of rationality
according to idealists, whereas realists say it
becomes rational because of anarchy.
 Main Tenets of Idealism
4. Harmony of interests -- Idealists believe it is
possible for humans to live together in harmony if
the proper measures are taken.
5.Trade between states promotes peace --
• Liberals believe the full implementation of
democracy could provide a harmony interests:
wealth and the good life.
• War disrupts economics; wars are destructive and
not necessarily profitable, especially to most
individuals in the world.
 Main Tenets of Idealism
6. People are good: Idealists are more optimistic
about human nature. In the proper setting,
man would enjoy peace and be free from
conflict. Human beings tied to common
humanity.
 Main Tenets of Idealism
7. The Power of Public Opinion: People that are
active can take charge of politics. Political
leaders can manipulate common people to
fight in war, but an active, democrat
movement of common people can reverse this
manipulation.
 Main Tenets of Idealism
8. International Law and organization -Idealists
put a lot of faith in international law and
intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) such
as the United Nations and International
Court of Justice to solve problems on the
international level. Prominent figures in this
tradition include Woodrow Wilson.
 Criticism
i. Failure of League of Nation is failure of
idealism.
ii. It sacrifices the element of rationality and
desires that action be founded on feelings
rather than logic.
iii. Too optimistic about human nature which is
not the case as a matter of fact.
iv. A lot of faith in International institution
 Conclusion
• The basic idealist position is that humanity
cannot afford to continue in the realist
tradition, especially with the advent of nuclear
weapons.
• International peace means social and
economic development; money from military
projects can be put into more socially useful
infrastructural projects.
 Conclusion
• Idealists accept that power is a consideration
in state actions, but unlike the realist,
idealists believe that states can rise above
selfish concerns for the benefit of the entire
international system.