Theories Of Liberal Internationalism

Introduction:

Peacebuilding to rebuild societies torn apart by armed conflict and break the cycle of violence has generated international debate and controversy. Peacebuilding is apart of the fourth stage of achieving peace and security. Its main aim is to reduce the chances of relapse into conflict and establish the foundation for sustainable peace and development (Busumtwi-Sam, Module 7). International organizations, like the UN, assist countries emerging from conflict in transitioning their social, economic and political structures. Liberal internationalism guides most international organizations in their peacebuilding operations. It involves pacification through political and economic liberalization. However, the very process of political

The concept of liberal peace theory was first introduced by Emmanual Kant in the late eighteenth-century, in which he was mainly referring to democratic states (Tziarras,2012,1). This theory asserts that liberally constituted societies tend to be more peaceful than illiberal states, it both their domestic and in their international affairs (Newman,et Al., 2009,11). There is another variant of this theory called democratic peace theory. According to this “countries that govern themselves in a truly democratic fashion do not go to war with one another” (Diamond,1995,22). In fact, it is often argued that democracies result in more accommodating or rule obeying behavior by states (Campbell, Chandler, & Sabaratnam, 2011,114-114). There is danger in this assumption and while Western democratic culture is the most dominant and pervasive it is not universal truth (Moss,1995,203). The core ideas that underpins liberal peace theory are; democratization, economic liberalization, neoliberal development, human rights and the rule of law (Donais,2009, 5). In particular democratization and economic liberalization has hindered the process of peace. In some cases, these processes threatened to reignite fighting (Paris,1997,58). While political and economic liberalization are not the only causes of insatiability in post-conflict countries, it is a fundamental flaw in the the design of international liberal peacebuilding (Paris,1997,58). Attempts at peacebuilding through the instilment of democratization and neo liberal forms of marketization have been implemented in cases including Cambodia, the Middle east, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Kosovo, Bosnia, and Timor-Leste (Newman,et Al., 2009,59). However, in 2006 political and socioeconomic problems led to the complete collapse of the liberal state in Timor Leste (Newman,et Al., 2009,60). Additionally, in Bosnia nationalists threaten the unity of Post Dayton