Liberalism

Even though realism has dominated the study of International Relations but Liberalism also has a strong claim over for being historic alternative. In the 20^th century, liberal thinking affecting the policy making elites and public opinion in western countries after the first world wa, an era that is often referred to in academic international relations as idealism.

The establishment of liberalism has a lot to do with the emerge of modern liberal states. Started with John Locke, 17^th century see the big potential of the development of people in civil society and capitalist modern economy, both only can happen in states that guarantee the freedom of their people.

Liberalism is a theory of both government within states and government, states and people. Liberal thinking was emerged in the inter-war period in the work of idealist that believed welfare was not necessary and old fashioned way to settle disputes between states.

Historically, liberals agreed with realists that war is a recurring feature of the anarchic states system but they don’t identify anarchy as the cause of war. The liberals tend to think positive towards the human nature. They believe that rational principles can be used in solving the international issues. 

The individu is egoist and competing over something but also individu has a lot of interests therefore they contribute in social action, cooperative domestically or internationally in the other hand war and conflict can’t be avoided. When human use their mind they can have mutually beneficial cooperation.

Liberals are optimistic, they believe in the development of history, modernization, they focus on the relation between state and its people, the domestic issue will affect the international issue. By increasing the economy dependence will decrease the possibility of war and conflicts.

Woodrow Wilson

After the world war I, liberalism emerged with the goal of abolishing the wars, the world war I has killed many victims. President of US at that time, Woodrow Wilson came up with the idea of League of Nations in order to spread the liberal democracy so there will be no war. Then liberalism rose again when US won the cold war against Soviet Union.

In the cooperation side, Immanuel Kant came up with the idea of collective security to get the mutual benefit, but not permanently, because once the goal is reached, the cooperation will be disbanded. With the spirit of cooperation of liberalist many new actors emerged, the non state actors like MNC, NGO, IGO, etc.