19.1.5

Liberal & Socialist Internationalism

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Liberal Internationalism

Building on internationalism, liberal internationalism also stresses the common interests of humanity over those of the nation-state.

International institutions

International institutions

  • Nation-states, while having a right to exist, are supplemented by international agreements and institutions, like the EU.
  • International institutions foster peace, cooperation and economic prosperity for nation-states.
  • Efforts to combat climate change, such as the Kyoto agreement and the Paris agreement, are examples of liberal internationalism.
Liberal internationalism and the US

Liberal internationalism and the US

  • Liberal internationalism has also been seen through the attempted spread of liberal democratic values throughout the world; most notably through the foreign policy of countries like the United States.
  • The liberal international order is seen as one that is intertwined with the United States.
  • Efforts to bring peace and stability to certain areas of the world, whether militarily or diplomatically, have often been US-led.
The decline of liberal internationalism

The decline of liberal internationalism

  • Liberal internationalism is arguably on the decline as the United States, under Donald Trump, adopts a more insular approach to its affairs and the UK withdraws from the European Union.

Socialist Internationalism

Within this strand of nationalism, the nation is less important than class. People can find greater solidarity with persons of the same class than the nation.

Socialist theory

Socialist theory

  • Socialist internationalism has its roots in the early theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.
  • The international character of their doctrine has been evident from the outset of communism.
  • The desire for a socialist society naturally cuts across national boundaries, as does the capitalist system that it seeks to replace.
  • The international character of socialism is sustained by the commonality of inequality across nation-states.
Socialist internationalism today

Socialist internationalism today

  • Following the decline of communism in the twentieth century, those on the left sought to bring about the end of capitalism via non-revolutionary means. Nations should work together to end capitalism and advance socialist principles.
  • Like civic nationalism, common human values are central to socialist internationalism. This can limit the attractiveness of nationalism and nations.
  • Unlike civic nationalism, one single international order is, for some socialist internationalists, highly desirable.
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